Hwasun Jeonnam National University Hospital Identifies 'Liver Cancer Characteristics' Through PET-MRI Integrated Study

(From left) Professors Moon Jangbae, Heo Sookhee, and Kwon Sungyoung. Provided by Hwasun Jeonnam National University Hospital

The research team at Hwasun Jeonnam National University Hospital has drawn attention by presenting a method to predict the characteristics and prognosis of liver cancer by analyzing MRI and PET images together, without the need for a tissue biopsy. This study demonstrated that by combining different imaging information, it is possible to distinguish the metabolic characteristics of liver cancer using only imaging data.

On January 26, Hwasun Jeonnam National University Hospital announced that the joint research team from the Departments of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine had their findings published in the latest issue of the international journal Academic Radiology.

This study was co-first-authored by Professor Moon Jangbae from the Department of Nuclear Medicine and Professor Heo Sookhee from the Department of Radiology, with Professor Kwon Sungyoung from the Department of Nuclear Medicine serving as the corresponding author.

The research team focused on the fact that the characteristics and prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma vary depending on the type of energy source the cancer relies on. Liver cancers with active glucose metabolism tend to be more malignant, while those with predominant fatty acid metabolism are generally better differentiated. These differences have mainly been identified through PET/CT scans until now.

By analyzing data from hepatocellular carcinoma patients collected between 2015 and 2021, the researchers confirmed that the enhancement patterns observed in liver MRI alone could largely predict these metabolic differences.

In particular, by analyzing the initial arterial phase signal intensity on MRI, the team was able to distinguish whether a given liver cancer was glucose-metabolic or fatty acid-metabolic with an accuracy of 99%.

This result demonstrates that MRI, previously regarded primarily as a structural imaging tool, can also reflect the metabolic characteristics of cancer cells, thereby expanding the scope of imaging diagnostics.

This research also has significant clinical implications. By enabling the identification of the biological characteristics of liver cancer through imaging alone, without invasive procedures such as tissue biopsy, it may help clinicians make faster decisions on personalized treatment strategies, such as surgery, embolization, or drug therapy, depending on the patient's condition.

The research team emphasized that this achievement is also meaningful as the result of multidisciplinary collaborative research between the Departments of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine.

Professors Moon Jangbae and Heo Sookhee stated, "By combining anatomical and metabolic imaging, we have established a foundation for a more three-dimensional understanding of liver cancer."

Professor Kwon Sungyoung said, "This study confirms the complementary value of MRI and PET," and added, "We will continue to expand imaging-based precision medicine research based on multidisciplinary collaboration."

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