Sarcopenia in Interventional Radiology: An Opportunistic Imaging Biomarker for Patient Outcomes and Procedural...

Area of Science:

• Radiology
• Oncology
• Geriatrics

Background:

• Sarcopenia (loss of skeletal muscle mass and function) is a frequent comorbidity in patients undergoing interventional radiology (IR) procedures.
• Conditions like liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are often managed with IR, making sarcopenia assessment crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the impact of sarcopenia on patient outcomes and procedural planning in various IR interventions.
• To highlight the role of IR in opportunistic sarcopenia screening during routine imaging.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of current evidence on sarcopenia's influence on outcomes in IR procedures.
• Analysis of sarcopenia's prognostic value in transarterial embolizations, TIPS, portal vein embolization, liver ablation, and peripheral arterial disease interventions.

Main Results:

• Sarcopenia predicts increased mortality and potentially lower tumor response in HCC interventions.
• Pre-procedural sarcopenia and myosteatosis predict mortality and hepatic encephalopathy after TIPS.
• Sarcopenia is linked to impaired liver regeneration but not always worse short-term outcomes after portal vein embolization.
• Sarcopenia predicts mortality after liver ablation and worse outcomes in peripheral arterial disease interventions.

Conclusions:

• Sarcopenia is a powerful, independent prognostic biomarker across diverse IR procedures.
• Integrating sarcopenia evaluation into routine IR practice can enhance risk stratification and patient care.