{
  "abstract": "Objectives: Dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the clinical diagnostic standard in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but its association with the tumor microenvironment is not fully characterized. In this study, we investigated correlations between DCE-MRI parameters and immunohistochemistry features of HCC.\n\nMaterials and methods: Forty patients, six women and 34 men aged 61.5 ± 10.1 years (mean ± standard deviation) with histologically confirmed HCC were included. DCE-MRI with Gd-EOB-DTPA was performed before surgery, and quantitative parameters were calculated to reflect arterial wash-in, portal venous wash-out and hepatobiliary uptake. Pathological specimens were analyzed for programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1), glypican-3, CD3+ tumor- and stromal-infiltrating lymphocytes, CD68 and CD34.\n\nResults: CD3+ stromal lymphocytes infiltration was inversely correlated with the arterial wash-in (r = -0.47; adjusted p-value = 0.025) and several post-arterial parameters. For the other TME components, only exploratory correlations were identified, none of which were statistically significant after adjustment for multiple testing. CD3+ tumoral infiltration lymphocytes with arterial wash-in (r = -0.35) and transitional phase relative signal intensity (SI) (r = 0.35). Native SI was inversely correlated with PD-L1 (r = -0.32). Difference in SI between the transitional and portal phase correlated with glypican-3 expression (r = 0.32).\n\nConclusion: DCE-MRI shows a moderate association with stromal infiltrating lymphocytes (CD3⁺ SIL) in HCC. Associations with other components of the TME, including tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (CD3⁺ TIL), PD-L1 and Glypican-3 expression, were observed at uncorrected thresholds, but did not remain statistically significant after correction for multiple testing.\n\nKey Points: Question DCE-MRI constitutes the cornerstone of HCC diagnosis. Is quantitative assessment of wash-in, wash-out and hepatobiliary uptake associated with non-invasive characterization of the TME?\n\nFindings CD3⁺ SIL were associated with tumor wash-in and wash-out parameters. Exploratory associations involving CD3⁺ TIL, PD-L1, and glypican-3 lost significance after multiple-testing adjustment.\n\nRelevance statement Quantitative DCE-MRI parameters may provide additional non-invasive information regarding tumor tissue characteristics and the tumor microenvironment of HCC.\n\nGraphical Abstract:",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany",
    "Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostics (BiND), University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy",
    "Department of Pathology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany",
    "Department of Visceral, Transplant, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany",
    "Division of Hepatology, Department of Medicine II, Leipzig University Medical Center, Leipzig, Germany"
  ],
  "article_type": "research article",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 10,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1
      ],
      "name": "Daniele Romeo"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Jacob Jalil Hassan"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Felix Pfister"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Anne-Kathrin Höhn"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        3
      ],
      "name": "Hans-Michael Tautenhahn"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        3
      ],
      "name": "Daniel Seehofer"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        3
      ],
      "name": "Uwe Scheuermann"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        4
      ],
      "name": "Florian van Bömmel"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Timm Denecke"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Hans-Jonas Meyer",
      "orcid": "0000-0001-8489-706X"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/7qk5evyrk5m1a.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.1186/s41747-026-00834-8",
  "fulltext_url": "https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC13731627/",
  "id": "7qk5evyrk5m1a",
  "issns": [
    "2509-9280"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://doi.org/10.1186/s41747-026-00834-8",
  "language": "en",
  "licence": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "heading",
      "Original Article"
    ],
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      "openalex",
      "2741|MRI in cancer diagnosis"
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  "openalex": "W7225186631",
  "pdf_url": "https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1186/s41747-026-00834-8.pdf",
  "pmcid": "PMC13731627",
  "pmid": "42975755",
  "published": "2026-11-03",
  "publisher": "Springer",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/7qk5evyrk5m1a.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-11-08T12:21:47Z",
      "native_id": "PMC13731627",
      "source": "pmc",
      "url": "https://doi.org/10.1186/s41747-026-00834-8"
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  "subjects": [
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      "field": "medicine",
      "origin": "openalex:2741|MRI in cancer diagnosis",
      "subfield": "imaging"
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  ],
  "title": "Dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI and tumor microenvironment in hepatocellular carcinoma: exploratory analysis of CD3 + TILs, PD-L1, and glypican-3",
  "title_text": "Dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI and tumor microenvironment in hepatocellular carcinoma: exploratory analysis of CD3 + TILs, PD-L1, and glypican-3",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-11-08T12:21:47Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/7qk5evyrk5m1a",
  "venue": "European Radiology Experimental",
  "versions": []
}