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Performance of radiological methods in diagnosing hepatocellular carcinoma preoperatively in a recipient of living related liver transplantation: comparison with step section histopathology

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Abstract

Purpose

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the performance of multidetector-row CT (MDCT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in diagnosing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) preoperatively in living related liver transplantation (LRLT) recipients with liver cirrhosis and HCC.

Materials and methods

A total of 25 LRLT recipients with 89 pathologically proved HCCs underwent dynamic 4-row MDCT (5 mm collimation) and MRI within 1 month before LRLT. The images were reviewed for the diagnosis of HCC on a tumor-by-tumor basis by three observers independently and randomly using explanted specimens as the gold standard. The diagnostic accuracy of these techniques in the detection of HCC was assessed with alternative free response receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. The sensitivity and positive predictive values were evaluated.

Results

The average values of the area under the ROC curve (Az) of MRI images were higher than those obtained with MDCT; however, no significant difference was observed (P > 0.05). The overall sensitivity of HCC with MRI was higher than that with MDCT, especially in the case of HCCs <20 mm.

Conclusion

A better diagnostic performance regarding HCCs in LRLT recipients was achieved with MRI than with MDCT, although no significant difference was observed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Clinical Radiology, Kyushu University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka, 812-8582, Japan

    Masakazu Hirakawa, Kengo Yoshimitsu, Hiroyuki Irie, Tsuyoshi Tajima, Akihiro Nishie, Yoshiki Asayama, Kousei Ishigami, Daisuke Kakihara & Hiroshi Honda

  2. Department of Surgery and Science, Kyushu University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Fukuoka, Japan

    Akinobu Taketomi

  3. Department of Anatomic Pathology, Kyushu University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Fukuoka, Japan

    Shin-ichi Aishima

Authors
  1. Masakazu Hirakawa
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  2. Kengo Yoshimitsu
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  3. Hiroyuki Irie
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  4. Tsuyoshi Tajima
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  5. Akihiro Nishie
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  6. Yoshiki Asayama
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  7. Kousei Ishigami
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  8. Daisuke Kakihara
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  9. Akinobu Taketomi
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  10. Shin-ichi Aishima
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  11. Hiroshi Honda
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Masakazu Hirakawa.

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Hirakawa, M., Yoshimitsu, K., Irie, H. et al. Performance of radiological methods in diagnosing hepatocellular carcinoma preoperatively in a recipient of living related liver transplantation: comparison with step section histopathology. Jpn J Radiol 29, 129–137 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11604-010-0528-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11604-010-0528-8

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