Radiomics in precision medicine for colorectal cancer: a bibliometric analysis (2013-2023)

Area of Science:

• Medical Imaging and Artificial Intelligence
• Oncology and Cancer Research
• Bioinformatics and Computational Biology

Background:

• Colorectal cancer (CRC) incidence and mortality are increasing, necessitating advancements in early diagnosis and treatment.
• Radiomics, combining artificial intelligence (AI) and medical imaging, has emerged as a key research area for CRC management.
• Improving patient survival outcomes relies on precise diagnosis and effective treatment strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a bibliometric analysis of colorectal cancer (CRC) radiomics research.
• To identify key trends, influential institutions, researchers, and journals in the field.
• To highlight the growing importance of AI and multi-omics integration in CRC precision medicine.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive literature review of CRC-related radiomics studies from 2013-2023.
• Bibliometric analysis using tools like Bibliometrix, VOSviewer, and CiteSpace.
• Keyword and citation analysis to identify prevailing research themes and emerging trends.

Main Results:

• A total of 1,226 publications were identified, with significant growth in research after 2019.
• China and the United States led in publication volume, while the US dominated citations.
• Key research themes include deep learning, texture analysis, rectal cancer, image analysis, and management, with increasing focus on AI and multi-omics.

Conclusions:

• Radiomics is vital for CRC clinical management, aiding in predicting biomarkers, assessing aggressiveness, and monitoring treatment.
• Advancements in AI algorithms and multi-omics data integration are crucial for future research.
• Expanding radiomics applications in CRC precision medicine holds significant promise for improving patient outcomes.