Table 1.
Clinicopathologic and MR imaging characteristics of the study population
| Characteristic | Total* (n = 103) | Early recurrence absent* (n = 50) | Early recurrence present* (n = 53) | p value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age (years)† | 51.0 ± 12.0 | 53.1 ± 11.3 | 49.0 ± 12.4 | 0.078 |
| Sex | 0.559 | |||
| Female | 21 (20.4) | 9 (18.0) | 12 (22.6) | |
| Male | 82 (79.6) | 41 (82.0) | 41 (77.4) | |
| HBsAg | 0.353 | |||
| Negative | 17 (16.5) | 10 (20.0) | 7 (13.2) | |
| Positive | 86 (83.5) | 40 (80.0) | 46 (86.8) | |
| Serum ALT level (IU/L)† | 37.0 (11.0–620.0) | 35.0 (11.0–620.0) | 40.0 (11.0–225.0) | 0.533 |
| Serum AST level (IU/L)† | 39.0 (18.0–243.0) | 36.5 (19.0–176.0) | 42.0 (18.0–243.0) | 0.438 |
| Serum TBIL level (μmol/L)† | 13.9 (4.2–54.2) | 13.7 (7.7–54.2) | 14.6 (4.2–31.1) | 0.642 |
| Prothrombin time (s)† | 12.3 ± 1.0 | 12.2 ± 1.1 | 12.3 ± 1.0 | 0.476 |
| Platelet count (× 10^9/L)† | 148.0 (40.0–492.0) | 147.5 (58.0–492.0) | 152.0 (40.0–367.0) | 0.518 |
| Serum AFP level | 0.026 | |||
| ≤ 400 ng/mL | 65 (63.1) | 37 (74.0) | 28 (52.8) | |
| > 400 ng/mL | 38 (36.9) | 13 (26.0) | 25 (47.2) | |
| BCLC stage | 0.004 | |||
| 0–A | 35 (34.0) | 23 (46.0) | 12 (22.6) | |
| AB†† | 38 (36.9) | 18 (36.0) | 20 (37.7) | |
| B | 8 (7.8) | 3 (6.0) | 5 (9.4) | |
| C | 22 (21.4) | 6 (12.0) | 16 (30.2) | |
| Pathologic features | ||||
| Tumor differentiation | 0.022 | |||
| Well or moderately differentiated | 54 (52.4) | 32 (64.0) | 22 (41.5) | |
| Poorly differentiated | 49 (47.6) | 18 (36.0) | 31 (58.5) | |
| Microvascular invasion | 0.042 | |||
| Absent | 75 (72.8) | 41 (82.0) | 34 (64.2) | |
| Present | 28 (27.2) | 9 (18.0) | 19 (35.8) | |
| Serosal invasion | 0.036 | |||
| Absent | 55 (53.4) | 32 (64.0) | 23 (43.4) | |
| Present | 48 (46.6) | 18 (36.0) | 30 (56.6) | |
| Satellite nodule | 0.045 | |||
| Absent | 94 (91.3) | 49 (98.0) | 45 (84.9) | |
| Present | 9 (8.7) | 1 (2.0) | 8 (15.1) | |
| Cirrhosis | 0.098 | |||
| Absent | 64 (62.1) | 27 (54.0) | 37 (69.8) | |
| Present | 39 (37.9) | 23 (46.0) | 16 (30.2) | |
| MR imaging features | ||||
| Tumor size (cm)† | 6.3 ± 3.0 | 5.4 ± 2.5 | 7.2 ± 3.3 | 0.002 |
| No. of tumor | 0.049 | |||
| Single | 90 (87.4) | 47 (94.0) | 43 (81.1) | |
| Multiple | 13 (12.6) | 3 (6.0) | 10 (18.9) | |
| LI-RADS major features | ||||
| Tumor size ≥ 20 mm | 0.325 | |||
| Absent | 5 (4.9) | 4 (8.0) | 1 (1.9) | |
| Present | 98 (95.1) | 46 (92.0) | 52 (98.1) | |
| Non-rim arterial phase hyperenhancement | … | |||
| Absent | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) | |
| Present | 103 (100.0) | 50 (100.0) | 53 (100.0) | |
| Non-peripheral washout | … | |||
| Absent | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) | |
| Present | 103 (100.0) | 50 (100.0) | 53 (100.0) | |
| Enhancing capsule | 0.205 | |||
| Absent | 31 (30.1) | 18 (36.0) | 13 (24.5) | |
| Present | 72 (69.9) | 32 (64.0) | 40 (75.5) | |
| LI-RADS ancillary features (favoring HCC in particular) | ||||
| Non-enhancing capsule | 0.055 | |||
| Absent | 84 (81.6) | 37 (74.0) | 47 (88.7) | |
| Present | 19 (18.4) | 13 (26.0) | 6 (11.3) | |
| Nodule-in-nodule architecture | 0.099 | |||
| Absent | 45 (43.7) | 26 (52.0) | 19 (35.8) | |
| Present | 58 (56.3) | 24 (48.0) | 34 (64.2) | |
| Mosaic architecture | 0.280 | |||
| Absent | 26 (25.2) | 15 (30.0) | 11 (20.8) | |
| Present | 77 (74.8) | 35 (70.0) | 42 (79.2) | |
| Fat in mass, more than adjacent liver | 0.110 | |||
| Absent | 81 (78.6) | 36 (72.0) | 45 (84.9) | |
| Present | 22 (21.4) | 14 (28.0) | 8 (15.1) | |
| Blood products in mass | 0.197 | |||
| Absent | 53 (51.5) | 29 (58.0) | 24 (45.3) | |
| Present | 50 (48.5) | 21 (42.0) | 29 (54.7) | |
| LI-RADS ancillary features (favoring malignancy, not HCC in particular) | ||||
| Transitional phase hypointensity | 1.000 | |||
| Absent | 2 (1.9) | 1 (2.0) | 1 (1.9) | |
| Present | 101 (98.1) | 49 (98.0) | 52 (98.1) | |
| Restricted diffusion | … | |||
| Absent | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) | |
| Present | 103 (100.0) | 50 (100.0) | 53 (100.0) | |
| Mild-moderate T2 hyperintensity | … | |||
| Absent | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) | |
| Present | 103 (100.0) | 50 (100.0) | 53 (100.0) | |
| Corona enhancement | 0.001 | |||
| Absent | 75 (72.8) | 44 (88.0) | 31 (58.5) | |
| Present | 28 (27.2) | 6 (12.0) | 22 (41.5) | |
| Fat sparing in solid mass | 0.262 | |||
| Absent | 100 (97.1) | 50 (100.0) | 50 (94.3) | |
| Present | 3 (2.9) | 0 (0.0) | 3 (5.7) | |
| Hepatobiliary phase hypointensity | 0.569 | |||
| Absent | 4 (3.9) | 3 (6.0) | 1 (1.9) | |
| Present | 99 (96.1) | 47 (94.0) | 52 (98.1) | |
| Iron sparing in solid mass | 0.485 | |||
| Absent | 102 (99.0) | 49 (98.0) | 53 (100.0) | |
| Present | 1 (1.0) | 1 (2.0) | 0 (0.0) | |
| Tumor in vein | 0.024 | |||
| Absent | 81 (78.6) | 44 (88.0) | 37 (69.8) | |
| Present | 22 (21.4) | 6 (12.0) | 16 (30.2) | |
| Non-LIRADS imaging features | ||||
| Non-smooth tumor margin | 0.286 | |||
| Absent | 48 (46.6) | 26 (52.0) | 22 (41.5) | |
| Present | 55 (53.4) | 24 (48.0) | 31 (58.5) | |
| Peritumoral hypointensity on HBP | 0.002 | |||
| Absent | 79 (76.7) | 45 (90.0) | 34 (64.2) | |
| Present | 24 (23.3) | 5 (10.0) | 19 (35.8) | |
| Incomplete tumor capsule | 0.205 | |||
| Absent | 49 (47.6) | 27 (54.0) | 22 (41.5) | |
| Present | 54 (52.4) | 23 (46.0) | 31 (58.5) | |
| Satellite nodule | 0.003 | |||
| Absent | 91 (88.3) | 49 (98.0) | 42 (79.2) | |
|
Present Single |
12 (11.7) 7 (58.3) |
1 (2.0) 0 (0.0) |
11 (20.8) 7 (63.6) |
0.417 0.865 |
| Multiple | 5 (41.7) | 1 (100.0) | 4 (36.4) | |
| Size (cm)† | 1.4 ± 0.4 | 1.3 | 1.4 ± 0.4 | |
AFP alpha-fetoprotein, ALT alanine aminotransferase, AST aspartate aminotransferase, BCLC Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer, HBP hepatobiliary phase, HCC hepatocellular carcinoma, LI-RADS Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System, TBIL total bilirubin
*Unless otherwise indicated, data are number of patients, with percentage in parentheses. Categorical variables were compared by using the chi-square test, Fisher exact test, or Kruskal–Wallis H test
†Data are continuous variables, reported as mean ± standard deviation or median (range), and were compared by using the two-sample t test or Mann–Whitney U test
††BCLC stage AB was defined as a single large (> 5 cm) HCC with Child-Pugh classification A–B and performance status 0 and without vascular invasion