Prognosis Prediction of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Based on Magnetic Resonance Imaging Features
Hsien Min Low, Jeong Min Lee, Cher Heng Tan
Abstract
Take-home points Current staging systems for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are centered on treatment decisions and based on prognosis determined by a combination of imaging, laboratory, and clinical parameters; imaging provides preoperative anatomic delineation of the tumor extent. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) imaging additionally provides multiparametric information on the cellular composition of certain variants of HCC that have prognoses ranging from better to worse compared to not otherwise specific HCC. Hepatobiliary MRI findings of microvascular invasion and non-hypervascular hypointense nodules are promising for assessing the prognosis of tumor recurrence and patient survival. Standardization of imaging-based classification systems could improve both the diagnosis and prognosis assessment of HCC but requires further validation.