Prediction of HCC microvascular invasion with gadobenate-enhanced MRI: correlation with pathology.

PURPOSE: To assess the accuracy of gadobenate-enhanced MRI for predicting microvascular invasion (MVI) in patients operated for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS: The 164 patients who met the inclusion criteria were assigned to one of two groups: the MVI-positive group and the MVI-negative group. Imaging results were compared between the two groups using the Kruskal test, chi-square test, independent sample t test, and logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: Differences in the capsule (p = 0.037) and margin (p = 0.004) of the tumor, rim enhancement (p = 0.002), peritumoral enhancement in the arterial phase (p < 0.001), and peritumoral hypointensity in the hepatobiliary phase (HBP) (p < 0.001) were statistically significant. The results of multivariate analysis identified rim enhancement in the arterial phase (odds ratio (OR) = 2.115; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.002-4.464; p = 0.049) and peritumoral hypointensity in the HBP (OR = 5.836; 95% CI, 2.442-13.948; p < 0.001) as independent risk factors for MVI. Use of the two predictors in combination identified 32.79% (20/61) of HCCs with MVI with a specificity of 95.15% (98/103). CONCLUSIONS: Rim enhancement in the arterial phase and peritumoral hypointensity in the HBP were identified as independent risk factors for MVI in patients with HCC. KEY POINTS: • Rim enhancement in the arterial phase and peritumoral hypointensity in the hepatobiliary phase were independent risk factors for microvascular invasion in patients with HCC. • Use of the two predictors in combination had a sensitivity of 32.79% and a specificity of 95.15% for predicting microvascular invasion.

Prediction of Microvascular Invasion and Recurrence After Curative Resection of LI-RADS Category 5 Hepatocellular Carcinoma on Gd-BOPTA Enhanced MRI.

Objective: This study aims to investigate the predictive value of Gadobenate dimeglumine (Gd-BOPTA) enhanced MRI features on microvascular invasion (MVI) and recurrence in patients with Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System (LI-RADS) category 5 hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods: A total of 132 patients with LI-RADS category 5 HCC who underwent curative resection and Gd-BOPTA enhanced MRI at our hospital between January 2016 and December 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. Qualitative evaluation based on LI-RADS v2018 imaging features was performed. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to assess the predictive significance of these features for MVI, and the Cox proportional hazards model was used to identify postoperative risk factors of recurrence. The recurrence-free survival (RFS) was analyzed by using the Kaplan-Meier curve and Log rank test. Results: Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified that corona enhancement (odds ratio [OR] = 3.217; p < 0.001), internal arteries (OR = 4.147; p = 0.004), and peritumoral hypointensity on hepatobiliary phase (HBP) (OR = 5.165; p < 0.001) were significantly associated with MVI. Among the 132 patients with LR-5 HCC, 62 patients experienced postoperative recurrence. Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that mosaic architecture (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.982; p = 0.014), corona enhancement (HR = 1.783; p = 0.039), and peritumoral hypointensity on HBP (HR = 2.130; p = 0.009) were risk factors for poor RFS. Conclusion: MRI features based on Gd-BOPTA can be noninvasively and effectively predict MVI and recurrence of LR-5 HCC patients.