Abstract
BACKGROUND To explore the clinical value of texture analysis of MR images (multiphase Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI and T2 weighted imaging (T2WI) and the glypican-3 (GPC-3) to identify the differentiated degree of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHOD In this retrospective study, 104 participants were enrolled (GPC-3 data obtained in 51 participants). Each participant performed preoperative Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MR scanning. Texture analysis was calculated by MaZda and then using the B11 program for data analysis and classification. The performance of texture features and GPC-3 in identifying the differentiated degree of HCC was assessed by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. RESULTS There were no statistically significances for the expression of GPC-3 between poorly-, well- and moderately-differentiated HCC. The area under the curve (AUC) of the combined texture features between poorly- and well-differentiated HCC, poorly- and moderately-differentiated HCC, moderately- and well-differentiated HCC was 0.812, 0.879 and 0.808 respectively. With GPC-3 combined, the AUC was increased to 0.868, while accuracy was decreased, in poorly- verse well-differentiated HCC, and the AUC and accuracy were the same as those without GPC-3 combined in poorly- verse moderately-differentiated HCC. Although the AUC was increased to 0.818 with GPC-3 combined in moderately- verse well-differentiated HCC, there were no statistical significance for the value change (p>0.05). CONCLUSION S Texture analysis of Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI and T2WI are valuable in identifying the differentiated degree of HCC. There is no significant effect of GPC-3 in identifying the differentiated degree of HCC, suggesting the promising value of texture analysis of MR images in the precise presurgical diagnosis of HCC.