Predicting VETC in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Using Radiomic Features from Peritumoral Mechanical Strain Assessed by MR Elastography

Motivation: Vessels encapsulating tumor clusters (VETC) is a powerful indicator of aggressive Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) associated with recurrence, which is expected to be noninvasively identified using imaging techniques. Goal(s): This study aims to develop a potential mechanical biomarker utilizing radiomics features extracted from MR Elastography (MRE)-assesed peritumoral shear strain to predict VETC in HCC. Approach: Radiomics features were extracted from the tumor boundary on an octahedral shear strain (OSS) map. Feature selection techniques were used to identify relevant features to construct a radiomics score. Results: Three radiomics features were utilized to construct a radiomics score, demonstrating potential for MRE-based strain analysis in predicting VETC. Impact: A radiomics score constructed by radiomics features derived from MRE-based strain analysis in the peritumoral region show promise in predicting VETC in HCC patients. This study results show non-invasive VETC prediction potential in HCC, impacting personalized treatment and patient outcomes.