Work

Time-dependent diffusion-weighted MRI discriminates hepatocellular carcinoma from intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma: A prospective animal model study

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Objective To evaluate the diagnostic potential of microstructural parameters derived from time-dependent diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (Td-dMRI) for distinguishing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) from intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC). Methods We established nude mouse models bearing subcutaneous xenografts of HCC (MHCC97H, HepG2 cell lines) and ICC (QBC939 cell line) ( n = 30). All models underwent Td-dMRI scanning. Microstructural parameters, including cell diameter ( d ), extracellular diffusion coefficient ( D ex ), intracellular volume fraction ( V in ), and cellularity, were calculated based on the IMPULSED model. Intergroup differences were assessed using independent samples t -test or Mann-Whitney U test (significance threshold: P < 0.05). The diagnostic performance of each parameter was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Post-operative liver tissue specimens were subjected to β -catenin immunohistochemical staining to validate the correlation between imaging parameters and pathological findings. Results The ICC group exhibited significantly higher D ex values compared to the HCC group ( P < 0.05), whereas d , V in , and cellularity were significantly lower in the ICC group ( P < 0.05). The areas under the ROC curve (AUCs) for differentiating HCC from ICC were 0.838 for D ex , 0.779 for d , 0.833 for V in , and 0.733 for cellularity. The d value measured by Td-dMRI showed a significant positive correlation with pathological results ( r = 0.634, P < 0.05). Notably, combining V in and cellularity parameters enhanced the AUC to 0.95, outperforming any single parameter. The ICC group exhibited a significantly higher extracellular diffusivity ( D ex ) compared to the HCC group, whereas the cell diameter ( d ), intracellular volume fraction ( V in ), and cellularity were significantly lower (all P < 0.05). The area under the. Conclusion Td-dMRI enables non-invasive differentiation between HCC and ICC by quantifying distinct tumor microstructural environments. The parameters derived from this technique show promise as potential imaging biomarkers for subtyping liver cancers.

Source: Magnetic Resonance Imaging

DOI: 10.1016/j.mri.2025.110601

Authors: Yong-Mei Huang, Yu-Chen Wei, Xing-Qing Qin, Meng-Na Lan, Jin-Yuan Liao

Institutions: Guangxi Medical University, First Affiliated Hospital of GuangXi Medical University, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangxi Hospital Division of The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University

Language: English

Topic: MRI in cancer diagnosis

Subfield: Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and Imaging

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,380