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Hepatic stiffness measurement by using MR elastography: prognostic values after hepatic resection for hepatocellular carcinoma

  • Hepatobiliary-Pancreas
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Abstract

Purpose

To evaluate prognostic value of hepatic stiffness (HS) measurement using MR elastography (MRE) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treated by hepatic resection (HR).

Methods

We enrolled 144 patients with Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stage A HCCs initially treated by HR who underwent preoperative liver MRE between January 2010 and June 2013. HS values were measured using MRE. Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to determine significant predictive factors for posthepatecomy liver failure (PHLF). Overall survival (OS) was analyzed by evaluating prognostic factors using the Kaplan–Meier method and Cox proportional hazard regression model.

Results

After HR, 43 patients (29.9 %) experienced PHLF. HS values were significant predictive factors for PHLF. In ROC analysis, the area under the curve of HS was 0.740 (P = 0.001) for PHLF. Thirty-one patients had HS values ≥ 4.02 kPa; the estimated 1, 3, 5-year survival were 90.0 %, 74.7 % and 65.4 %, respectively, versus 98.1 %, 96.5 % and 96.5 % in 113 patients with HS values < 4.02 kPa (P = 0.015). An HS value ≥ 4.02 kPa was the only significant affecting factor for OS.

Conclusion

HS values measured by MRE could predict PHLF development post-HR. Furthermore, an HS value ≥4.02 kPa was a significant predicting factor for poor OS post-HR.

Key Points

Hepatic stiffness value was a predictive factor for developing posthepatectomy liver failure

Hepatic stiffness value was a significant affecting factor for OS

Hepatic stiffness value ≥ 4.02 kPa was a predictive factor for poor OS

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Acknowledgments

The scientific guarantor of this publication is Jeong Min Lee. The authors of this manuscript declare no relationships with any companies whose products or services may be related to the subject matter of the article. The authors state that this study was supported by the Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Education (2013R1A1A2A10066037). Statistical methods were consulted by a biostatistician (J.Y. Han) working at the Medical Research Collaborating Center (MRCC) at our institute. Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval was obtained. Written informed consent was waived by the IRB. Methodology: retrospective, observational, performed at one institution.

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Correspondence to Jeong Min Lee.

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Lee, D.H., Lee, J.M., Yi, NJ. et al. Hepatic stiffness measurement by using MR elastography: prognostic values after hepatic resection for hepatocellular carcinoma. Eur Radiol 27, 1713–1721 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-016-4499-8

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