The role of radiomics in diagnosing gastrointestinal stromal tumors: a review

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors are the most common mesenchymal neoplasms of the gastrointestinal tract originating from the interstitial cells of Cajal, accounting for approximately 80% of all primary gastric tumors. Despite their widespread use, traditional diagnostic methods for gastrointestinal stromal tumors, such as computed tomography, endoscopic examination, endoscopic ultrasound, and fine-needle aspiration biopsy, have several limitations, including diagnostic uncertainty and limited capabilities of biopsy. Radiomics, which involves analyzing texture features in medical images, is considered an innovative approach, with the potential to enhance diagnostic accuracy in gastrointestinal stromal tumors detection. This method allows for the interpretation of tissue changes through the mathematical processing of images, revealing information beyond the human eye’s ability to detect, which can be beneficial for the early detection of tumors. This article assesses the advantages and disadvantages of current methods for diagnosing gastrointestinal stromal tumors and the potential of radiomics to improve diagnostic outcomes. The review allows to determine the best applications and promising directions for future research in this crucial field.