Ultrasound-based radiogenomics: status, applications, and future direction

Area of Science:

• Radiogenomics
• Medical Imaging
• Genomics

Background:

• Radiogenomics extends radiomics by correlating imaging features with gene expression.
• Ultrasound (US) imaging is increasingly utilized in radiogenomics to bridge imaging and genomic data.
• This field provides non-invasive imaging surrogates, potentially reducing the need for genetic testing.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the workflow and applications of ultrasound-based radiogenomics.
• To highlight the potential of US radiogenomics in understanding cancer biology.
• To explore the predictive capabilities of US imaging features for genomic data.

Main Methods:

• The review outlines the radiogenomics workflow.
• It summarizes existing literature on ultrasound-based radiogenomics applications.
• Methods involve correlating US image characteristics with genomic data.

Main Results:

• US-based radiogenomics can predict gene variations and molecular subtypes.
• It helps explore relationships between US phenotypes and cancer gene profiles.
• The field demonstrates potential in characterizing biological attributes non-invasively.

Conclusions:

• Ultrasound-based radiogenomics shows significant promise for cancer research and clinical applications.
• Despite challenges, it offers new avenues for non-invasive cancer characterization.
• Further research is warranted to fully realize the potential of US radiogenomics.