Importance of extracellular volume fraction of the spleen as a predictive biomarker for high-risk esophago-gastric varices in patients with chronic liver diseases: A preliminary report

Predictive value of high-risk esophageal varices in cirrhosis based on dual-energy CT combined with clinical and serologic features

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the predictive value of dual-energy CT (DECT) in combination with clinical and serologic features for noninvasive assessment of high-risk esophageal variceal (EV) in cirrhosis patients.

DATA AND METHODS

120 patients who had undergone DECT and gastroscopy were retrospectively enrolled. They were categorized into low-risk variceal (LRV) and high-risk variceal (HRV) groups by gastroscopy (LRV: none, mild, HRV: moderate, severe). Clinical data, serologic and DECT parameters were recorded respectively. Multifactorial logistic regression analyses were conducted to develop clinical, serological, DECT, and combined models. AUC was utilized to assess the diagnostic performance. Non-parametric tests were employed to analyze differences in DECT parameters among different grading of EV.

RESULTS

In clinical model, ascites was the independent risk predictor, with 78.3% accuracy,50% sensitivity, 100% specificity, and an AUC of 0.693. The serological model revealed white blood cell count, hematocrit, alanine aminotransferase, and platelet count as predictors for HRV, demonstrating 83.3% accuracy, 90.9% sensitivity, 76.9% specificity, and an AUC of 0.784. The DECT model, identified liver normalized iodine volume (NIV-L) and spleen volume (V-S) as key predictors, with 84% accuracy, 72.7% sensitivity, 92.9% specificity, and an AUC of 0.84. The combined model, integrating NIV-L, V-S, and Ascites, demonstrated superior performance with 82.6% accuracy, 90% sensitivity, 76.9% specificity, and an AUC of 0.878, compared to the other models. Additionally, severe EV had higher V-S and NIV-S values than other grades (p < 0.05), with AUC of 0.874 and 0.864, respectively.

CONCLUSION

DECT-based NIV-L, V-S, and presence of ascites can predict high-risk esophageal varices.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE STATEMENT

Quantitative parameters of DECT can predict high-risk esophageal varices in cirrhotic patients, avoid gastroscopy, if possible, continue hierarchical management.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

retrospectively registered.

Prediction of the wall-invasion pattern of advanced gallbladder carcinoma using extracellular volume fraction

PURPOSE

This study aimed to evaluate the utility of extracellular volume (ECV) fraction for predicting wall-invasion patterns in advanced gallbladder carcinoma (GBCA).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Patients who had surgically resected GBCA at a single institution were retrospectively evaluated. All patients underwent computed tomography (CT) before the surgery. Based on pathological examinations, the wall-invasion pattern of GBCA was classified into two groups: infiltrative growth (IG, n = 19) and destructive growth (DG, n = 11). ECV map was generated by inputting the patients' hematocrit values and subtraction algorithms using pre-contrast and equilibrium phase images. CT parameters were evaluated by two radiologists (Rad1 and Rad2). The Mann-Whitney U test was performed to identify significant CT parameters for differentiating between the two groups. The diagnostic ability was measured using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Recurrence-free survival (RFS) was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method, and differences between the two groups were compared using the log-rank test.

RESULTS

Thirty patients (mean age, 75.5 years; 20 men) were evaluated. Mean ECV fraction of the DG-type (Rad1, 34.5%; Rad2, 34.1%) was significantly higher than that of the IG-type (Rad1, 28.5%; Rad2, 28.8%) (p < 0.05). The ECV values of the two radiologists indicated that the areas under the ROC curves for differentiation between the two groups were Rad1, 0.91 and Rad2, 0.84 (p < 0.05). Medium RFS of the DG-type (970 days) was significantly shorter than that of the IG-type (2200 days) (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

ECV fraction demonstrates potential as the most valuable predictor of the DG type of GBCA, which has a higher recurrence rate compared with the IG type. However, further large-scale multi-center studies are required to validate these findings.

Evaluation of Splenic Involvement in Lymphomas Using Extracellular Volume Fraction Computed Tomography

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate whether the extracellular volume (ECV) fraction can be used to identify splenic involvement in lymphoma patients and whether it can be used to improve the diagnostic performance of conventional computed tomography (CT) in the diagnosis of splenic diffuse involvement.

METHODS

Consecutive patients with newly diagnosed lymphoma who underwent abdomen contrast-enhanced CT and 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/CT for diagnosis or staging were retrospectively enrolled. Patients were divided into the splenic involvement (diffuse or focal) and noninvolvement groups. The ECV fraction was obtained in all patients. In the splenic diffuse involvement and noninvolvement groups, spleen vertical length (SVL) >13 cm and obliteration of normal heterogeneous enhancement of the spleen in arterial phase were recorded. Receiver operating characteristic curve was used to analyze the diagnostic performance, and area under the curve (AUC) comparison was performed using the Delong test.

RESULTS

A total of 135 patients were included, 56 patients with splenic involvement (36 diffuse and 20 focal) and 79 patients with noninvolvement. Splenic involvement can be identified via the ECV fraction (AUC = 0.839). In distinguishing splenic diffuse involvement, the AUC of the ECV fraction was superior to the SVL >13 cm (0.788 vs 0.627, P  = 0.007) and obliteration of normal heterogeneous enhancement of the spleen (0.788 vs 0.596, P  = 0.001). The combination of ECV fraction and SVL >13 cm demonstrated superior diagnostic performance, with an AUC of 0.830, surpassing all other parameters.

CONCLUSION

The ECV fraction can be used to identify splenic involvement. The ECV fraction combined with SVL >13 cm is recommended for the prediction of splenic diffuse involvement.

Chronological change of gallbladder fossa nodularity in the liver as observed in patients with alcoholic liver disease: cross-sectional and longitudinal observation

PURPOSE

To confirm the concept that gallbladder fossa nodularity (GBFN) as observe in patients with alcoholic liver disease (ALD) develops in a biphasic fashion as the cirrhotic process progresses, by clarifying the sequential or chronological change of GBFN both in cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We retrospectively recruited 52 ALD patients who had both quadruple phase CT and gadoxetate-enhanced MRI (EOB-MRI) within 6 months between 2013 and 2020, and GBFN were morphologically classified into grades 0-3, as previously described. As a cross-sectional study, correlation coefficients (rho values) between mALBI grades and GBFN grades were compared for monophasic vs biphasic models. Biphasic models were defined based on the median values of liver stiffness as measured by MR elastography and extracellular volume fraction as calculated from CT data. Similar analysis was done for GBFN signal intensity on hepatobiliary phase of EOB-MRI (HBP-SI). As a longitudinal study, we recruited patients for whom at least 3-year follow-up of GBFN were available using any CT or MR imaging examination.

RESULTS

As for cross-sectional study, the rho values for the biphasic model were significantly larger than those for the monophasic model, both for GBFN grades and HBP-SI (p < 0.01). As for the longitudinal study, 10 patients were available, 6 of whom showed downgrading of GBFN as the cirrhotic change progressed.

CONCLUSION

Our cross sectional and longitudinal analyses suggested GBFN would develop in a biphasic pattern both on morphology and HBP-SI as the cirrhotic process progresses.

Pancreatic extracellular volume fraction on routine contrast-enhanced computed tomography can predict pancreatic fibrosis and postoperative pancreatic fistula

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES

Postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) is a critical complication of pancreatectomy, with a higher risk associated with the absence of pancreatic fibrosis. We investigated whether pancreatic extracellular volume fraction (ECV) calculated from preoperative contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CE-CT) images can be used to predict pancreatic fibrosis and POPF.

METHODS

This retrospective study included patients who underwent CE-CT before pancreatectomy. ECV map was created by subtracting unenhanced from equilibrium-phase images. We assessed the relationship between pancreatic ECV, the histopathological grade of fibrosis at the pancreatic resection margin, and the occurrence of POPF.

RESULTS

Among the 107 patients included, 66 underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) and 41 underwent distal pancreatectomy (DP). The median ECV at the pancreatic resection margin was 22.5 %. Pancreatic ECV significantly correlated with the histopathological grade of pancreatic fibrosis (ρ = 0.689; p < 0.001). In PD cases, the ECV was an independent risk factor for all-grade POPF (odds ratio, 0.852; 95 % confidence interval, 0.755-0.934), with excellent predictive capability (area under the curve, 0.912; 95 % confidence interval, 0.842-0.983). In DP cases, pancreatic thickness was the only factor associated with all-grade POPF.

CONCLUSIONS

Pancreatic ECV obtained from routine CE-CT images accurately predicted the histopathological grade of pancreatic fibrosis and was an independent risk factor for POPF after PD.

Heterogeneous development of liver fibrosis in chronic hepatitis C patients; assessment by extracellular volume fraction map generated from routine clinical CT data

OBJECTIVES

To clarify the heterogeneous development of liver fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) using extracellular volume fraction (ECV) map obtained from routine clinical CT data.

METHODS

Between November 2012 and July 2020, patients with CHC were retrospectively recruited who had undergone four-phase CT and MR elastography (MRE) within one year. Patients were divided into 4 grades to represent different cirrhotic/fibrotic stage, using two different methods; one based on liver stiffness measured by MRE (MRE model), and the other by mALBI grades (mALBI model). Liver was anatomically divided into 16 sections, namely peripheral and central areas of each segment. ECV map was generated according to the previously reported method, and ECV was measured for the 16 sections. Estimated pathological fibrosis grade was assigned for each section based on the previously reported data.

RESULTS

There were 150 patients available. In each anatomical section, ECV significantly increases as cirrhotic /fibrotic stage progresses. The peripheral areas of segments 4,5 and 8 were the earliest to show F2 or F3-equivalent ECV (p < 0.05), followed by central areas or other segments. The central areas of segments 6 and 7 were the last to be involved by fibrosis both in MRE and mALBI models, finally almost all sections showing F4-equivalent ECV at the end stage fibrosis.

CONCLUSION

Fibrosis starts at the peripheral areas of segments 4, 5, and 8, and spreads towards other parts of the liver, with the central areas of segments 6 and 7 being the last, in patients with CHC.

A Treatment Strategy for Severe Legionella Pneumonia Using Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation

Legionella pneumophila can cause acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), which often requires intense ventilatory management. L. pneumophila is an aerobic bacterium that prefers a high-oxygen environment. However, existing treatment strategies, including veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (V-V ECMO), have not considered the pathogen's preference for high-oxygen environments. Herein, we report two cases of patients with severe legionella pneumonia treated with V-V ECMO. The treatment strategy in these two cases was to maintain the lowest possible oxygen concentrations to inhibit the activity of L. pneumophila. This strategy was successful, indicating that V-V ECMO may be useful to improve outcomes in severe ARDS caused by L. pneumophila, especially when introduced earlier.

Gallbladder fossa nodularity in the liver as observed in alcoholic liver disease patients: Analysis based on hepatobiliary phase signal intensity on gadoxetate-enhanced MRI and extracellular volume fraction calculated from routine CT data

The purpose of this study is to further verify the concept utilizing signal intensity on hepatobiliary phase (HBP) of gadoxetate-enhanced MRI and extracellular volume fraction (ECV) calculated from CT data. Between Jan 2013 and September 2018, consecutive ALD patients who had both quadruple phase CT and gadoxetate-enhanced MRI within six months were retrospectively recruited. Those who had any intervention or disease involvement around gallbladder fossa were excluded. All images were reviewed and ECV was measured by two experienced radiologists. GBFN grades, and their HBP signal intensity or ECV relative to the surrounding background liver (BGL) were analyzed. There were 48 patients who met the inclusion criteria. There were GBFN grade 0/1/2/3 in 11/15/18/4 patients, respectively. The signal intensity on HBP relative to BGL were iso/slightly high/high in 30/15/3 patients, respectively, and ECV ratio (ECV of GBFN divided by that of BGL) was 0.88 ± 0.18, indicating there are more functioning hepatocytes and less fibrosis in GBFN than in BGL. The GBFN grades were significantly correlated to relative signal intensity at HBP (Spearman's rank correlation, p < 0.01, rho value 0.53), and ECV ratio (p < 0.01, rho value -0.45). Our results suggest GBFN in ALD would represent liver tissues with preserved liver function with less fibrosis, as compared to BGL, which are considered to support our hypothesis as shown above.

Dual-energy CT quantification of extracellular liver volume predicts short-term disease progression in patients with hepatitis B liver cirrhosis-acute decompensation

BACKGROUND

Liver cirrhosis-acute decompensation (LC-AD) has rapid short-term disease progression and difficult early risk stratification. The purpose is to develop and validate a model based on dual-energy CT quantification of extracellular liver volume (ECV_IC-liver) for predicting the occurrence of acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) within 90 days in patients with hepatitis B (HBV) LC-AD.

METHODS

The retrospective study included patients with HBV LC-AD who underwent dual-energy CT scans of the liver from January 2018 to March 2022 and were randomized to training group (215 patients) and validation group (92 patients). The primary outcome was the need for readmission within 90 days due to ACLF. Based on the training group data, independent risk factors for disease progression in clinical and dual-energy CT parameters were identified and modeled by logistic regression analysis. Based on the training and validation groups data, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, calibration curves, and decision analysis curves (DCA) were used to verify the discrimination, calibration, and clinical validity of the nomogram.

RESULTS

Chronic liver failure consortium-acute decompensation score (CLIF-C ADs) (p = 0.008) and ECV_IC-liver (p < 0.001) were independent risk factors for ACLF within 90 days. The AUC of the model combined ECV_IC-liver and CLIF-C ADs were 0.893 and 0.838 in the training and validation groups, respectively. The calibration curves show good agreement between predicted and actual risks. The DCA indicates that the model has good clinical application.

CONCLUSION

The model combined ECV_IC-liver and CLIF-C ADs can early predict the occurrence of ACLF within 90 days in HBV LC-AD patients.

Baveno VII algorithm outperformed other models in ruling out high-risk varices in individuals with HBV-related cirrhosis

BACKGROUND & AIMS

The Baveno VII consensus recommends that spleen stiffness measurement (SSM) ≤40 kPa is safe for ruling out high-risk varices (HRVs) and avoiding endoscopic screening in patients who do not meet the Baveno VI criteria. This study aimed to validate the performance of the Baveno VII algorithm in individuals with HBV-related cirrhosis.

METHODS

Consecutive individuals with HBV-related cirrhosis who underwent liver stiffness measurement (LSM) and SSM - using a 50 Hz shear wave frequency, spleen diameter measurement, and esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) were prospectively enrolled from June 2020. A 100 Hz probe has been adopted for additional SSM assessment since July 2021.

RESULTS

From June 2020 to January 2022, 996 patients were screened and 504 were enrolled for analysis. Among the 504 patients in whom SSM was assessed using a 50 Hz probe, the Baveno VII algorithm avoided more EGDs (56.7% vs. 39.1%, p <0.001) than Baveno VI criteria, with a comparable missed HRV rate (3.8% vs. 2.5%). Missed HRV rates were >5% for all other measures: 11.3% for LSM-longitudinal spleen diameter to platelet ratio score, 20.0% for platelet count/longitudinal spleen diameter ratio, and 8.8% for Rete Sicilia Selezione Terapia-hepatitis. SSM@100 Hz was assessed in 232 patients, and the Baveno VII algorithm with SSM@100 Hz spared more EGDs (75.4% vs. 59.5%, p <0.001) than that with SSM@50 Hz, both with a missed HRV rate of 3.0% (1/33).

CONCLUSIONS

We validated the Baveno VII algorithm, demonstrating the excellent performance of SSM@50 Hz and SSM@100 Hz in ruling out HRV in individuals with HBV-related cirrhosis. Furthermore, the Baveno VII algorithm with SSM@100 Hz could safely rule out more EGDs than that with SSM@50 Hz.

CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER

NCT04890730.

IMPACT AND IMPLICATIONS

The Baveno VII guideline proposed that for patients who do not meet the Baveno VI criteria, SSM ≤40 kPa could avoid further unnecessary endoscopic screening. The current study validated the Baveno VII algorithm using 50 Hz and 100 Hz probes, which both exhibited excellent performance in ruling out HRVs in individuals with HBV-related cirrhosis. Compared with the Baveno VII algorithm with SSM@50 Hz, SSM@100 Hz had a better capability to safely rule out unnecessary EGDs. Baveno VII algorithm will be a practical tool to triage individuals with cirrhosis in future clinical practice.

What is the "washout" of hepatocellular carcinoma as observed on the equilibrium phase CT?: consideration based on the concept of extracellular volume fraction

PURPOSE

To verify the hypothesis that extracellular volume fraction (ECV) and precontrast CT density are the main determinants of washout of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) at the equilibrium phase CT.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Between 2018 and 2020, patients with surgically resected HCC were recruited who had undergone preoperative 4-phase CT. Those larger than 6 cm were excluded to minimize the possibility of intratumoral hemorrhage or degeneration. Two radiologists reviewed the whole images in consensus and divided cases into washout positive and negative groups. Washout positive group at the equilibrium phase was defined as "HCC showing relatively low density as compared to the surrounding background liver (BGL), irrespective of the presence of early enhancement or fibrous capsule". Several clinico-pathological and radiological features, including ECV and precontrast CT density, were correlated to the presence of washout, using uni- and multi-variable analyses.

RESULTS

27 HCC in 24 patients met the inclusion criteria. 22 (82%) and five HCC belonged to washout positive and negative groups, respectively. Univariable analysis revealed ECV of HCC and BGL, ECV difference between HCC and BGL, and presence of fibrous capsule on the equilibrium phase CT were the significant factors. Multivariable analysis showed ECV of HCC and BGL, and precontrast CT density of BGL, were the independently significant factors related to washout, suggesting washout is more likely observed with lower HCC ECV, higher BGL ECV, and higher BGL precontrast CT density.

CONCLUSION

Major determinants of washout of HCC may be ECV of HCC and BGL, and precontrast CT density of BGL.