Pathologic, Molecular, and Prognostic Radiologic Features of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a malignancy with variable biologic aggressiveness based on the tumor grade, presence or absence of vascular invasion, and pathologic and molecular classification. Knowledge and understanding of the prognostic implications of different pathologic and molecular phenotypes of HCC are emerging, with therapeutics that promise to provide improved outcomes in what otherwise remains a lethal cancer. Imaging has a central role in diagnosis of HCC. However, to date, the imaging algorithms do not incorporate prognostic features or subclassification of HCC according to its biologic aggressiveness. Emerging data suggest that some imaging features and further radiologic, pathologic, or radiologic-molecular phenotypes may allow prediction of the prognosis of patients with HCC. (C) RSNA, 2021

Automated summary

Hepatocellular carcinoma is a malignant tumor with varying aggressiveness based on tumor grade, vascular invasion, and pathologic molecular classification. Knowledge of different pathologic and molecular phenotypes of HCC is important for prognosis, and imaging plays a central role in diagnosis.