Non-invasive Prediction of Microvascular Invasion in Hepatocellular Carcinoma by Blood-Oxygen-Level Dependent Magnetic Resonance Imaging (BOLD MRI)

Official Title

Non-Invasive Prediction of Microvascular Invasion (MVI) in Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) by Assessment of Tumour Oxygenation by Blood Oxygen Level-Dependent Magnetic Resonance Imaging (BOLD MRI)

Summary:

Liver resection and liver transplantation are the acceptable treatment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC). But the long-term survival is unsatisfactory as a result of high rate of intra and extra hepatic recurrences. Microvascular invasion (MVI) is the most significant risk factor affecting recurrence-free survival in patients following liver resection and liver transplantation. Tumour hypoxia (lack of adequate blood supply) is the single most important factor that predict MVI and post surgical prognosis. Blood Oxygen Level Dependent (BOLD) MRI is a non-invasive diagnostic method of assessing tumour hypoxia by detecting signal changes secondary to changes in blood flow and oxygenation. BOLD MRI assessment of tumour hypoxia in HCC has never been correlated with pathological confirmation of MVI, the gold standard to assess MVI in HCC. In this study, the investigators propose to assess the ability of BOLD MRI to provide a discriminating quantitative threshold of intratumoural oxygenation predictive of MVI.

Trial Description

Primary Outcome:

• To assess the ability of BOLD MRI to predict microvascular invasion in hepatocellular carcinoma via assessment of intratumoural oxygenation.

• To identify a quantitative threshold tumour R2* value using BOLD MRI technique reasonably sensitive of predicting microvascular invasion in HCC pre-operatively.

View this trial on ClinicalTrials.gov