The emergence of non-hypervascular hypointense nodules on Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI in patients with chronic hepatitis C.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Intrahepatic non-hypervascular hypointense nodules (NHHNs) detected during the hepatobiliary phase of gadolinium-ethoxybenzyl-diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (EOB-MRI) have the potential to transition into typical hypervascular hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the incidence and risk factors for the emergence of these nodules in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection are unknown.

AIM:

To investigate the incidence and risk factors for NHHNs in patients with chronic HCV infection in a longitudinal follow-up study METHODS: EOB-MRI was performed in 608 patients with chronic HCV infection and no history of HCC. The characteristics of patients with and without NHHNs were compared. In patients without NHHNs at baseline, the incidence of NHHN emergence and associated risk factors were analysed.

RESULTS:

NHHNs were detected at baseline in 93 of 608 patients (15.3%). Among 515 patients without NHHNs at baseline, the 1-year, 3-year and 5-year incidence of NHHN emergence was 1.8%, 9.8% and 16.4%, respectively. Only FIB-4 index was independently associated with the emergence of NHHNs in multivariate analyses. Whereas NHHNs emerged in 24.1% of patients with FIB-4 index ≥ 3.25 at 5 years, none emerged in patients with FIB-4 index < 1.45.

CONCLUSION:

In patients with chronic HCV infection, advanced liver fibrosis is an important risk factor for the presence or emergence of NHHNs.

• Authors: Hidenori Toyoda, Toshifumi Tada, Satoshi Yasuda, Kazuyuki Mizuno, Yasuhiro Sone, Yuji Kaneoka, Atsuyuki Maeda, Tomoyuki Akita, Junko Tanaka, Takashi Kumada
• Journal: Alimentary pharmacology & therapeutics (Aliment Pharmacol Ther) Vol. 50 Issue 11-12 Pg. 1232-1238 (12 2019) ISSN: 1365-2036 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 31588590 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: © 2019 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Chemical References

• Contrast Media
• gadolinium ethoxybenzyl DTPA
• Gadolinium DTPA

Topics

• Aged
• Contrast Media
• Female
• Gadolinium DTPA
• Hepatitis C, Chronic (diagnostic imaging)
• Humans
• Incidence
• Liver (diagnostic imaging)
• Liver Cirrhosis (diagnostic imaging)
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging (methods)
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Risk Factors