Gadoxetic acid-enhanced MRI of macrotrabecular-massive hepatocellular carcinoma and its prognostic implications
Authors
Rhee, Hyung jin ; Cho, Eun-Suk ; Nahm, Ji Hae ; Jang, Mi ; Chung, Yong Eun ; Baek, Song-Ee ; Lee, Sunyoung ; Kim, Myeong-Jin ; Park, Mi-Suk ; Han, Dai Hoon ; Choi, Jin-Young ; Park, Young Nyun
Citation
JOURNAL OF HEPATOLOGY, Vol.74(1) : 109-121, 2021-01
Background & Aims: Despite the clinical and genetic significance of macrotrabecular-massive hepatocellular carcinoma (MTM-HCC), its characteristics on imaging have not been described. This study aimed to characterise MTM-HCC on gadoxetic acid-enhanced MRI and to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy and prognostic value of these imaging characteristics. Methods: We enrolled 3 independent cohorts from 2 tertiary care centres. The 3 cohorts consisted of a total of 476 patients who underwent gadoxetic acid-enhanced MRI and surgical resection for treatment-naive single HCCs. Independent review of histopathology and MRI by 2 reviewers was performed for each cohort, and inter-reader agreement was evaluated. Based on the result of MRI review in the training cohort (cohort 1), we developed 2 diagnostic criteria for MTM-HCC and evaluated their prognostic significance. The diagnostic performance and prognostic significance were validated in 2 validation cohorts (cohorts 2 and 3). Results: We developed 2 diagnostic MRI criteria (MRIC) for MTM-HCC: MRIC-1, >= 20% arterial phase hypovascular component; MRIC-2, >= 50% hypovascular component and 2 or more ancillary findings (intratumoural artery, arterial phase peritumoural enhancement, and non-smooth tumour margin). MRIC-1 showed high sensitivity and negative predictive value (88% and 95% in the training cohort, and 88% and 97% in the pooled validation cohorts, respectively), whereas MRIC-2 demonstrated moderate sensitivity and high specificity (47% and 94% in the training cohort, and 46% and 96% in the pooled validation cohorts, respectively). MRIC-2 was an independent poor prognostic factor for overall survival in both training and pooled validation cohorts. Conclusions: Using gadoxetic acid-enhanced MRI findings, including an arterial phase hypovascular component, we could stratify the probability of MTM-HCC and non-invasively obtain prognostic information. Lay summary: Macrotrabecular-massive hepatocellular carcinoma (MTM-HCC) is a histopathologic subtype of HCC characterised by aggressive biological behaviour and poor prognosis. We developed imaging criteria based on liver MRI that could be used for the non-invasive diagnosis of MTM-HCC. HCCs showing imaging findings of MTM-HCC were associated with poor outcomes after hepatic resection. (C) 2020 European Association for the Study of the Liver. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.