Predicting Differentiation of Hepatocellular Carcinoma at Pre-Transplant MRI in Patients Undergoing Orthotopic Liver Transplantation

Stella K. Kang¹, Emma Robinson¹, Ramya Srinivasan¹, Bachir Taouli^1,2, Hersh Chandarana¹

In patients undergoing orthotopic liver transplantation, preoperative MR imaging characteristics in hepatocellular carcinoma were examined, including T1 and T2 signal intensity, diffusion weighted imaging, and dynamic contrast enhanced kinetics and their relationship with histopathologic grade was assessed. DynaCAD, commercially available software, was utilized to examine enhancement kinetics of each tumor. Poorly differentiated HCCs had lower time to peak and higher rate of enhancement. T1 hypointensity also showed correlation with poorly differentiated tumors. No other qualitative or quantitative feature including DWI was useful in predicting HCC differentiation.