Computed tomography radiomic features and clinical factors predicting the response to first transarterial chemoembolization in intermediate-stage hepatocellular carcinoma

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Predicting Transarterial Chemoembolization Outcomes: A Systematic Review

BACKGROUND

Major society guidelines recommend transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) as the standard of care for intermediate-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. However, predicting treatment response remains challenging.

AIMS

As artificial intelligence (AI) may predict therapeutic responses, this systematic review aims to assess the performance and effectiveness of radiomics and AI-based models in predicting TACE outcomes in patients with HCC.

METHODS

A systemic search was conducted on Medline and Embase databases from inception to 7th April 2024. Included studies generated a predictive model for TACE response and evaluated its performance by area under the curve (AUC), specificity, or sensitivity analysis. Systematic reviews, meta-analyses, case series and reports, pediatric, and animal studies were excluded. Secondary search of references of included articles ensured comprehensiveness.

RESULTS

64 articles, with 13,412 TACE-treated patients, were included. AI in pre-treatment CT scans provided value in predicting the efficacy of TACE in HCC treatment. A positive association was observed for AI in pre-treatment MRI scans. Models incorporating radiomics had numerically better performance than those incorporating manual measured radiological variables. 39 studies demonstrated that combined predictive models had numerically better performance than models based solely on imaging or non-imaging features.

CONCLUSION

A combined predictive model incorporating clinical features, laboratory investigations, and radiological characteristics may effectively predict response to TACE treatment for HCC.

Deep Learning-Based Automatic Segmentation Combined with Radiomics to Predict Post-TACE Liver Failure in HCC Patients

Objective

To develop and validate a deep learning-based automatic segmentation model and combine with radiomics to predict post-TACE liver failure (PTLF) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients.

Methods

This was a retrospective study enrolled 210 TACE-trated HCC patients. Automatic segmentation model based on nnU-Net neural network was developed to segment medical images and assessed by the Dice similarity coefficient (DSC). The screened clinical and radiomics variables were separately used to developed clinical and radiomics predictive model, and were combined through multivariate logistic regression analysis to develop a combined predictive model. The area under the curve (AUC), calibration curve, and decision curve analysis (DCA) were applied to compare the performance of the three predictive models.

Results

The automatic segmentation model showed satisfactory segmentation performance with an average DSC of 83.05% for tumor segmentation and 92.72% for non-tumoral liver parenchyma segmentation. The international normalized ratio (INR) and albumin (ALB) was identified as clinically independent predictors for PTLF and used to develop clinical predictive model. Ten most valuable radiomics features, including 8 from non-tumoral liver parenchyma and 2 from tumor, were selected to develop radiomics predictive model and to calculate Radscore. The combined predictive model achieved the best and significantly improved predictive performance (AUC: 0.878) compared to the clinical predictive model (AUC: 0.785) and the radiomics predictive model (AUC: 0.815).

Conclusion

This reliable combined predictive model can accurately predict PTLF in HCC patients, which can be a valuable reference for doctors in making suitable treatment plan.

Advancing Hepatocellular Carcinoma Management Through Peritumoral Radiomics: Enhancing Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prognosis

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary liver cancer and is associated with high mortality rates due to late detection and aggressive progression. Peritumoral radiomics, an emerging technique that quantitatively analyzes the tissue surrounding the tumor, has shown significant potential in enhancing the management of HCC. This paper examines the role of peritumoral radiomics in improving diagnostic accuracy, guiding personalized treatment strategies, and refining prognostic assessments. By offering unique insights into the tumor microenvironment, peritumoral radiomics enables more precise patient stratification and informs clinical decision-making. However, the integration of peritumoral radiomics into routine clinical practice faces several challenges. Addressing these challenges through continued research and innovation is crucial for the successful implementation of peritumoral radiomics in HCC management, ultimately leading to improved patient outcomes.

Contributing to the prediction of prognosis for treated hepatocellular carcinoma: Imaging aspects that sculpt the future

A novel nomogram model to predict the prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treated with radiofrequency ablation and transarterial chemoembolization was recently published in the World Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery. This model includes clinical and laboratory factors, but emerging imaging aspects, particularly from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and radiomics, could enhance the predictive accuracy thereof. Multiparametric MRI and deep learning radiomics models significantly improve prognostic predictions for the treatment of HCC. Incorporating advanced imaging features, such as peritumoral hypointensity and radiomics scores, alongside clinical factors, can refine prognostic models, aiding in personalized treatment and better predicting outcomes. This letter underscores the importance of integrating novel imaging techniques into prognostic tools to better manage and treat HCC.

Machine Learning Combined with Radiomics Facilitating the Personal Treatment of Malignant Liver Tumors

In the realm of managing malignant liver tumors, the convergence of radiomics and machine learning has redefined the landscape of medical practice. The field of radiomics employs advanced algorithms to extract thousands of quantitative features (including intensity, texture, and structure) from medical images. Machine learning, including its subset deep learning, aids in the comprehensive analysis and integration of these features from diverse image sources. This potent synergy enables the prediction of responses of malignant liver tumors to various treatments and outcomes. In this comprehensive review, we examine the evolution of the field of radiomics and its procedural framework. Furthermore, the applications of radiomics combined with machine learning in the context of personalized treatment for malignant liver tumors are outlined in aspects of surgical therapy and non-surgical treatments such as ablation, transarterial chemoembolization, radiotherapy, and systemic therapies. Finally, we discuss the current challenges in the amalgamation of radiomics and machine learning in the study of malignant liver tumors and explore future opportunities.

Radiomics Signature Based on Support Vector Machines for the Prediction of Pathological Complete Response to Neoadjuvant Chemoradiotherapy in Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer

The objective of this study was to evaluate the discriminative capabilities of radiomics signatures derived from three distinct machine learning algorithms and to identify a robust radiomics signature capable of predicting pathological complete response (pCR) after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy in patients diagnosed with locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC). In a retrospective study, 211 LARC patients were consecutively enrolled and divided into a training cohort (n = 148) and a validation cohort (n = 63). From pretreatment contrast-enhanced planning CT images, a total of 851 radiomics features were extracted. Feature selection and radiomics score (Radscore) construction were performed using three different machine learning methods: least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO), random forest (RF) and support vector machine (SVM). The SVM-derived Radscore demonstrated a strong correlation with the pCR status, yielding area under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUCs) of 0.880 and 0.830 in the training and validation cohorts, respectively, outperforming the RF and LASSO methods. Based on this, a nomogram was developed by combining the SVM-based Radscore with clinical indicators to predict pCR after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy. The nomogram exhibited superior predictive power, achieving AUCs of 0.910 and 0.866 in the training and validation cohorts, respectively. Calibration curves and decision curve analyses confirmed its appropriateness. The SVM-based Radscore demonstrated promising performance in predicting pCR for LARC patients. The machine learning-driven nomogram, which integrates the Radscore and clinical indicators, represents a valuable tool for predicting pCR in LARC patients.