Accuracy of Medical Image–Based Deep Learning for Detecting Microvascular Invasion in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

This study is the first to systematically assess the use of imaging-based DL for diagnosing MVI in HCC. The results demonstrate a significant potential for these models in predicting MVI. However, their clinical applicability requires rigorous evaluation, given the scarcity of independent external validation cohorts, notable heterogeneity among them, and the observed decline in model performance. Therefore, prospective, multicenter studies following standardized reporting guidelines are a critical future direction. These studies should also focus on developing integrated algorithms that translate histopathological insights into preoperative imaging data to establish robust clinical tools.