ABSTRACT
Objective:To investigate the predictive value of a nomogram based on clinical factors and gadobenate dimeglumine (Gd-BOPTA)-enhanced MRI for predicting the expression of Glypican-3 (GPC-3) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).Methods:The clinical and imaging data of 85 patients with HCC confirmed by pathology in the Provincial Hospital of Shandong First Medical University from July 2018 to June 2021 were retrospectively collected. All the patients underwent Gd-BOPTA-enhanced MRI scan before operation. According to the expression of GPC-3 by immunohistochemistry, the patients were divided into GPC-3 positive group (55 cases) and GPC-3 negative group (30 cases). The clinical data of patients were collected, including gender, age, hepatitis, cirrhosis, alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, and glutamine transferase levels. The MRI qualitative signs including tumor margin, ring enhancement, intratumoral hemorrhage, enhanced capsule, and satellite nodules were reviewed. MRI quantitative parameters including the largest tumor diameter, Gd-BOPTA-enhanced tumor-to-liver parenchyma signal ratio (TLR) and tumor enhancement ratio (TER) in arterial phase (AP), portal venous phase (PP), and hepatobiliary phase (HBP) were calculated. The independent sample t-test or Mann-Whitney U test were used to compare the quantitative data between the two groups, and the χ2 test was used to compare the qualitative data between the two groups. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to identify the independent predictors of GPC-3 expression, and a nomogram model was established. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to evaluate the predictive performance of each independent factor and nomogram, and DeLong test was used to compare differences in area under the curve (AUC). Results:There were significant differences in AFP, tumor margin, intratumoral hemorrhage, and TLR-AP, TLR-PP and TLR-HBP between GPC-3 positive and negative groups (all P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression results showed that AFP≥20 μg/L, intratumoral hemorrhage and TLR-HBP were independent predictors of GPC-3 positive expression in HCC (OR=3.816, 4.788, 0.001, all P<0.05). The preoperative clinical and Gd-BOPTA-enhanced MRI nomogram model for predicting GPC-3 expression in hepatocellular carcinoma was established. The AUC of AFP≥20 μg/L, intratumoral hemorrhage, TLR-HBP and nomogram model in predicting GPC-3 positive expression were 0.688, 0.697, 0.808, and 0.879, respectively. The AUC of nomogram model was significantly better than those of the other three single indicator ( Z=3.82, 4.13, 2.04, P<0.001,<0.001,=0.042). Conclusion:The nomogram model based on indicators of clinical and qualitative and quantitative Gd-BOPTA-enhanced MRI has better performance in predicting the expression of HCC GPC-3 before surgery, which is higher than those of each single indicator.