Quantitative morphometric analysis of hepatocellular carcinoma: development of a programmed algorithm and preliminary
Felix Y Yap1, James T Bui, M Grace Knuttinen
1Department of Radiology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology (Ankara, Turkey)
|December 13, 2012
Summary
Computerized analysis of liver tumor shape reveals that larger, more aggressive hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC) exhibit irregular margins and wider diameters. This quantitative morphologic analysis is feasible and may aid in assessing tumor malignancy potential.
Area of Science:
- Medical imaging analysis
- Quantitative morphology
- Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) research
Background:
- The relationship between tumor shape and malignancy in liver tumors remains underexplored.
- Quantitative analysis of tumor morphology can offer insights into malignant potential.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and test a computer algorithm for analyzing the shape features of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
- To investigate the feasibility of quantitative morphologic analysis in HCC.
Main Methods:
- A MATLAB algorithm was used to calculate twelve shape descriptors from cross-sectional images of 118 HCC tumors.
- Tumor margins were outlined, and shape parameters were correlated with alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels as a marker of aggressiveness.
Main Results:
- Quantitative morphometric analysis was successfully applied to all HCC cases.
- Larger tumors were less compact and less ellipsoid (P < 0.0001).
- Tumors with higher AFP levels showed greater morphologic irregularity (P < 0.05).
Conclusions:
- Computerized image analysis of HCC using shape descriptors is technically feasible.
- Aggressively growing HCC tumors are characterized by larger diameters and more irregular margins.
- Further research is warranted to explore clinical applications of this morphologic analysis.
