Dynamic Contrast Enhanced-MRI and Apparent Diffusion Coefficient Quantitation for Differentiate Hepatocellular Carcinoma from Hepatocellular Adenoma.

BACKGROUND: Due to their overlapping radiological characteristics, hepatic lesions, such as hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and hepatocellular adenoma (HCA), present a substantial diagnostic challenge. Accurate differentiation between HCC and HCA is essential for the best clinical treatment and therapeutic decision-making. This study aims to assess the potential role of DCE-MRI and Apparent Diffusion Coefficient (ADC) quantitation in the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) from hepatocellular adenoma (HCA).

METHODS: 103 patients (56 HCC, 47 HCA) with histopathologically proven hepatocellular lesions were the subjects of a cross-sectional investigation. A standardized imaging technique was used for DCE-MRI on all patients. Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) provided the ADC values. The diagnostic efficacy of DCE-MRI and ADC in differentiation was evaluated using statistical analyses, such as t-tests and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. SPSS VER 16 was used for the analysis of the collected data.

RESULTS: A total of 103 patients (female: male= 52:51, 57.14±3.09 years) were included in the study. The study revealed significant differences in DCE-MRI parameters and ADC values between HCC and HCA lesions. ADC value was significantly lower in HCC than in HCA (p < 0.001). The area under the curve (AUC) was 0.78 (95% CI: 0.69-0.87) for ADC, 0.84 (95% CI: 0.76-0.91) for Ktrans, and 0.72 (95% CI: 0.62-0.82) for Ve. Sensitivity and specificity for ADC were 76.59% and 71.42%, respectively. Also, PPV and NPV of ADC were 69.23% and 78.43%, respectively. Sensitivity and specificity for Ktrans were 82.14% and 76.59%, respectively. Also, PPV and NPV of Ktrans were 80.7% and 78.26%, respectively.

CONCLUSION: In conclusion, DCE-MRI-derived parameters, along with ADC values, exhibit promise as non-invasive tools for differentiating HCC from HCA.