Case Control Study
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2019.
World J Gastroenterol. Jun 7, 2019; 25(21): 2636-2649
Published online Jun 7, 2019. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v25.i21.2636
Table 1 Comparison of demographic and other characteristics between the pathologic stage T2 and T1 groups, n (%)
CharacteristicspT2, n = 39pT1, n = 75P value
Age, mean ± SD60.54 ± 11.1758.32 ± 10.950.3101
Gender0.375
Male26 (66.7)57 (76.0)
Female13 (33.3)18 (24.0)
Hepatitis virus subtype
HBV21 (53.8)50 (66.7)0.223
HCV15 (38.5)21 (28.0)0.292
HBV and HCV3 (7.7)3 (4.0)0.385
Tumor marker
AFP415.3 ± 1536.1812.3 ± 5922.00.5683
CA-19-9116.2 ± 606.214.1 ± 15.60.2998
Interval between the dates of imaging and surgery, mean ± SD17.69 ± 30.8018.09 ± 20.580.9419
METAVIR score of liver fibrosis0.7852
F0-F328 (71.79)52 (69.33)
F411 (28.21)23 (30.67)
HBV and HCV: Hepatitis viruses B and C; AFP: Alpha-fetoprotein; CA-19-9: Cancer antigen 19-9; pT1: Pathologic stage T1; pT2: Pathologic stage T2.
Table 2 Imaging characteristics compared between the pathologic stage T2 group and T1 group, n (%)
CharacteristicspT2, n = 39pT1, n = 75P value
T2 hyperintensity37 (94.9)68 (90.7)0.716
T1 hypointensity35 (89.7)69 (92.0)0.733
Arterial enhancement38 (97.4)70 (93.3)0.662
Corona enhancement14 (35.9)13 (17.3)0.037
Washout appearance36 (92.3)69 (92.0)1.000
Capsular appearance14 (35.9)38 (50.7)0.167
Hypointensity of tumor in the HB phase37 (94.9)74 (98.7)0.269
Peritumoral hypointensity in the HB phase16 (41.0)18 (24.0)0.084
Hypointense-rim in the HB phase5 (12.8)21 (28.0)0.099
Intratumoral fat8 (20.5)18 (24.0)0.815
Hyperintensity on DWI39 (100.0)72 (96.0)0.550
Hypointensity on ADC map16 (41.0)32 (42.7)1.000
Mosaic architecture27 (69.2)48 (64.0)0.679
Margin type0.503
Smooth27 (69.2)57 (76.0)
Irregular12 (30.8)18 (24.0)
AJCC v.739 (100.0)75 (100.0)
AJCC v.80.005
cT1a (≤ 2 cm)3 (7.7)24 (32.0)
cT1b (> 2 cm)36 (92.3)51 (68.0)
HB: Hepatobiliary; DWI: Diffusion weighted imaging; ADC: Apparent diffusion coefficient; AJCC: American Joint Committee on Cancer; pT1: Pathologic stage T1; pT2: Pathologic stage T2.
Table 3 The odds ratios for imaging features favoring a diagnosis of pathologic stage T2 over pT1
FeaturesCrude OR95%CIP value
T2 hyperintensity1.904(0.376-9.639)0.436
T1 hypointensity0.761(0.201-2.874)0.687
Arterial enhancement2.714(0.306-24.085)0.370
Corona enhancement2.671(1.101-6.480)0.030
Washout appearance1.043(0.246-4.419)0.954
Capsular appearance0.545(0.246-1.208)0.135
Hypointensity of tumor in the HB phase0.250(0.022-2.847)0.264
Peritumoral hypointensity in HB phase2.203(0.961-5.049)0.062
Hypointense-rim in the HB phase0.378(0.130-1.098)0.074
Intratumoral fat0.817(0.319-2.093)0.674
Mosaic architecture1.266(0.553-2.895)0.577
Hyperintensity on DWIN/AN/AN/A
Hypointensity ADC map0.935(0.426-2.050)0.866
Tumor margin
Smooth (baseline)
Non-smooth1.407(0.594-3.333)0.437
AJCC v.8
cT1a (baseline)1.00Reference
cT1b6.727(1.483-30.517)0.014
Because all patients in the study group demonstrated hyperintensity on diffusion weighted imaging, we were not able to calculate the odds ratio and P value. HB: Hepatobiliary; DWI: Diffusion weighted imaging; ADC: Apparent diffusion coefficient; AJCC: American Joint Committee on Cancer; pT1: Pathologic stage T1; pT2: Pathologic stage T2; OR: Odds ratio; CI: Confidence interval.
Table 4 Logistic regression estimates of odds ratios for pathologic stage T2 hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with solitary tumor on Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging
Combinations of aggressive featuresNumber of pT2 patientsOR (95%CI)
A = 0 and B = 0 and C = 04Reference
Only A or Only B or Only C101.037 (0.285-3.766)
A + B or B + C or A + C or A + B + C256.250 (1.788-21.845)
Gd-EOB-DTPA: Gadolinium ethoxybenzyl diethylene-triaminepentaacetic acid; A = 0: Tumor size < 2.3 cm; B = 0: No peritumoral hypointensity on hepatobiliary phase; C = 0: No corona enhancement; A: Tumor size ≥ 2.3 cm; B: Presence of peritumoral hypointensity on hepatobiliary phase; C: Presence of corona enhancement; OR: Odds ratio; CI: Confidence interval.