Magnetic resonance elastography-based prediction of hepatocellular carcinoma recurrence after curative resection

Liver stiffness measurement using magnetic resonance elastography can assess the severity of liver fibrosis, which is significantly associated with recurrence after curative resection for hepatocellular carcinoma. The aim of this prospective study was to investigate whether preoperative liver stiffness measurement by magnetic resonance elastograhy can predict recurrence after curative resection for hepatocellular carcinoma. Patients who underwent preoperative liver stiffness measurement and curative resection for hepatocellular carcinoma were enrolled in this study. Potential associations between liver stiffness measurement, along with other clinical and pathologic variables, and intrahepatic hepatocellular carcinoma recurrence were analyzed. In total, 156 patients were included in this study. During a median follow-up period of 25.1 months (range, 6.0–60.5 months), 72 (46.1%) patients with hepatocellular carcinoma had an intrahepatic recurrence. The median disease-free period after resection was 17.9 months (range, 1.0–60.5 months). In the multivariate analysis, liver stiffness measurement (hazard ratio, 1.27; 95% confidence interval, 1.11–1.43; P