title: Liver stiffness measured by magnetic resonance elastography as a risk factor for hepatocellular carcinoma: a preliminary case-control study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine if liver stiffness measured by magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) is a risk factor for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients with chronic liver disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  By reviewing the records of magnetic resonance (MR) examinations performed at our institution, we selected 301 patients with chronic liver disease who did not have a previous medical history of HCC. All patients underwent MRE and gadoxetic acid-enhanced MR imaging. HCC was identified on MR images in 66 of the 301 patients, who were matched to controls from the remaining patients without HCC according to age. MRE images were obtained by visualising elastic waves generated in the liver by pneumatic vibration transferred via a cylindrical passive driver. Risk factors of HCC development were determined by the odds ratio with logistic regression analysis; gender and liver stiffness by MRE and serum levels of aspartate transferase, alanine transferase, alpha-fetoprotein, and protein induced by vitamin K absence-II.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Multivariate analysis revealed that only liver stiffness by MRE was a significant risk factor for HCC with an odds ratio (95 % confidence interval) of 1.38 (1.05-1.84).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Liver stiffness measured by MRE is an independent risk factor for HCC in patients with chronic liver disease.
authors: Department of Radiology, University of Yamanashi, 1110 Shimokato, Chuo-shi, Yamanashi-ken, 409-3898, Japan. utaroh-motosugi@nifty.com
authors: Utaroh
authors: U
authors: Motosugi
authors: Tomoaki
authors: T
authors: Ichikawa
authors: Tsuyota
authors: T
authors: Koshiishi
authors: Katsuhiro
authors: K
authors: Sano
authors: Hiroyuki
authors: H
authors: Morisaka
authors: Shintaro
authors: S
authors: Ichikawa
authors: Nobuyuki
authors: N
authors: Enomoto
authors: Masanori
authors: M
authors: Matsuda
authors: Hideki
authors: H
authors: Fujii
authors: Tsutomu
authors: T
authors: Araki
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003287:Contrast Media; D054459:Elasticity Imaging Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA; D006801:Humans; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; C073590:gadolinium ethoxybenzyl DTPA; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA