Assessing Hepatic Metabolism in Patients with HCC Using 31P-MRS: Insights and Potential Clinical Utility

Motivation: The clinical need for noninvasive tools to assess the metabolism of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), which contributes to treatment guidance, therapy response assessment and prognostic prediction. This study aimed to investigate the value of phosphorus (31P)-magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) as a supplementary metabolism-related alternative in clinic. Goal(s): The goal of this study was to evaluate the metabolism status of HCC, compared with healthy controls. Approach: Three HCC patients and three healthy volunteers were analyzed with a 3.0-T MRI scanner, using 31P MRS. Results: The study revealed an elevated phomonoester (PME) / phosphodiester (PDE) ratio in patients with HCC, suggesting potential metabolic changes in HCC. Impact: This study highlights the promising value of 31P MRS as a noninvasive alternative in patients with HCC. Elevated PME/PDE ratio offers valuable insights into hepatocellular carcinoma, enhancing the diagnostic and treatment strategies of HCC.