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Morphomic Signatures Derived from Computed Tomography Predict Hepatocellular Carcinoma Occurrence in Cirrhotic Patients

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Abstract

Background and Aims

Computed tomography (CT) provides scans of the human body from which digitized features can be extracted. The aim of this study was to examine the role of these digital biomarkers for predicting subsequent occurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in cirrhotic patients.

Methods

A cohort of 269 patients with cirrhosis were recruited and prospectively followed for the occurrence of HCC in Taiwan. CT scans were retrospectively retrieved and computationally processed using analytic morphomics. A predictive score was constructed using Cox regression and the generalized iterative modeling method, maximizing the log likelihood of the time to HCC development. An independent cohort of 274 patients from University of Michigan was utilized to examine the predictive validity of this score in a Western population.

Results

Of the 27 digitized features at the 12th thoracic vertebral level, six features were significantly associated with HCC occurrence. Two digitized features (fascia eccentricity and the bone mineral density) were able to stratify patients into high- and low-risk groups with distinct cumulative incidence of HCC in both the training and validation cohorts (P = 0.015 and 0.044, respectively). When the two digitized features were tested in the Michigan cohort, only bone mineral density remained an effective predictor.

Conclusion

Digitized features derived from the CT were effective in predicting subsequent occurrence of HCC in cirrhosis patients. The bone mineral density measured on CT was an effective predictor for patients in both Taiwan and USA.

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Acknowledgment

The authors would like to thank Brian Derstine, Brian Ross, Dr. Gigin Lin, Dr. Ching-Yi Hsieh, Wan-Ru Liang, Yi-Ting Liao, Yi-Wen Li, Chung-Yin Wu, Fang-Yi He, Hui-Chin Chen, Ya-Ming Cheng, Yu-Jean Chen, and Chien-Chih Wang of the liver research center for the excellent technical and administrative assistance.

Funding

PZ was partially supported by funding from the US National Institutes of Health (K01 DK106296). GLS was partially funded by U01 CA230669.

Author information

Author notes

  1. Kung-Hao Liang, Peng Zhang, Chau-Ting Yeh and Grace L. Su have contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medical Research, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan

    Kung-Hao Liang

  2. Liver Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou, Taiwan

    Kung-Hao Liang, Chih-Lang Lin & Chau-Ting Yeh

  3. Department of Surgery, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA

    Peng Zhang & Stewart C. Wang

  4. Morphomic Analysis Group, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA

    Peng Zhang, Stewart C. Wang & Grace L. Su

  5. Liver Research Unit, Keelung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Keelung, Taiwan

    Chih-Lang Lin

  6. Division of Hepatogastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan

    Tsung-Hui Hu

  7. Molecular Medicine Research Center, Chang Gung University, Taoyüan, Taiwan

    Chau-Ting Yeh

  8. Division of Gastroenterology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA

    Grace L. Su

  9. VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System, 2215 Fuller Road, Ann Arbor, MI, 48105, USA

    Grace L. Su

  10. Institute of Food Safety and Health Risk Assessment, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan

    Kung-Hao Liang

  11. Institute of Biomedical Informatics, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan

    Kung-Hao Liang

Authors
  1. Kung-Hao Liang
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  2. Peng Zhang
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  7. Grace L. Su
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Grace L. Su.

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Conflict of interest

SCW and the University of Michigan have a patent on the Morphomics Technique. SCW has equity interest in Applied Morphomics. No commercial funding was utilized for this project.

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Liang, KH., Zhang, P., Lin, CL. et al. Morphomic Signatures Derived from Computed Tomography Predict Hepatocellular Carcinoma Occurrence in Cirrhotic Patients. Dig Dis Sci 65, 2130–2139 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10620-019-05915-w

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10620-019-05915-w

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