Abstract:
Objective
To investigate the correlation between quantitative indices derived from contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) and recurrence after percutaneous microwave coagulation therapy(PMCT) in patients with untreated primary hepatocellular carcinoma.
Methods
This is a retrospective cohort study, including 277 patients with primary small HCC who received initial treatment at Shanghai Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital between June 2022 and November 2023. All enrolled patients underwent preoperative serum tests, CEUS, and quantitative analysis before PMCT treatment. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were performed to explore the risk factors for recurrence within one year after PMCT. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were used to demonstrate the impact of various factors on recurrence.
Results
In univariate Cox regression analysis, factors such as tumor diameter, hypertension,preoperative alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), lesion mean linearity (MeanLin), lesion rise time (RT), and lesion mean transit time showed statistical significance (P<0.05). The multivariate Cox regression model identified tumor diameter (P<0.001), lesion full time (FT) (P=0.002), hepatic tissue time to peak (TTP) (P=0.014), and hepatic tissue wash-in perfusion index (WiPI) (P=0.018) as significant predictors of local tumor recurrence. Kaplan-Meier curve analysis showed that tumor diameter (≤1.20 cm vs >1.20 cm), lesion FT (> 26.55 s vs ≤26.55 s),hepatic tissue TTP (> 29.76 s vs ≤29.76 s), and hepatic tissue WiPI (≤2378.54 a.u vs >2378.54 a.u) were significantly associated with recurrence rates during follow-up (3.68% vs 31.67%, 0 vs 36.99%, 6.10% vs 27.16%, and 11.11% vs 21.95%, respectively), further demonstrating the predictive value of these factors for tumor recurrence.
Conclusion
Quantitative parameters from contrast-enhanced ultrasound, including lesion FT, hepatic tissue TTP, and hepatic tissue WiPI, are associated with recurrence within one year after PMCT in patients with primary small HCC. The Vuebox quantitative parameters based on CEUS have important clinical application value in liver cancer recurrence prediction.
Key words:
Hepatocellular carcinoma, primary,
Contrast-enhanced ultrasound,
Percutaneous microwave coagulation therapy
Yijun Gu, Yiran Li, Yi Qian, Dong Jiang. Predictive value of Vuebox indices derived from contrast-enhanced ultrasound for recurrence after percutaneous microwave coagulation therapy in patients with untreated primary hepatocellular carcinoma[J]. Chinese Journal of Medical Ultrasound (Electronic Edition), 2025, 22(03): 238-246.