{
  "abstract": "Introduction: This study, through a meta-analysis, aimed to assess the predictive performance of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (18F-FDG PET/CT) for microvascular invasion (MVI) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).\n\nMethods: Web of Science, Embase, PubMed, and Cochrane Library were comprehensively searched from database inception to January 13, 2026. EndNote 21was employed for literature screening and data extraction. Meta-analysis was carried out on the extracted data using Stata 15, MetaDisc 1.4, and MedCalc.\n\nResults: In total, 21 studies were included, involving 2,023 patients with HCC, of whom 890 were MVI+ and 1,133 were MVI–. In univariable analyses, both tumor-to-normal liver uptake ratio (TLR) (odds ratio [OR] = 2.577, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.446–4.593, P = 0.001) and maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) (OR = 1.272, 95% CI: 1.036–1.561, P = 0.021) were significantly associated with an increased MVI risk. After multivariable adjustment, SUVmax retained independent predictive value (OR = 2.140, 95% CI: 1.244–3.681, P = 0.006), whereas the multivariable evidence for TLR was derived from a single study and required further validation. AUC values for SUVmax and radiomics score (Rad-score) were 0.819 (95% CI: 0.739–0.899) and 0.809 (95% CI: 0.762–0.857), respectively, with relatively balanced values for sensitivity, specificity, and negative likelihood ratio.\n\nConclusion: The available evidence supports SUVmax as one of the metabolic markers for preoperative MVI risk assessment in HCC, with Rad-score similar to SUVmax in diagnostic discrimination. The complementary value of the two markers was not demonstrated by this Meta-analysis, but rather derived from inferences proposed by external studies. Moreover, because the included radiomics studies did not report a pooled effect size for the combined model integrating SUVmax and Rad-score, a Meta-analysis targeting this model is currently not feasible. Therefore, the complementarity of SUVmax and Rad-score should be regarded as a hypothesis to be tested. In the future, multicenter, prospective radiomics studies with rigorous external validation are warranted to further explore a combined prediction model based on SUVmax and Rad-score. On this basis, an integrated assessment workflow should be gradually established, by which preoperative decisions are guided.\n\nSystematic Review Registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/, identifier CRD420261289724.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Department of General Surgery, Xiaogan Hospital Affiliated to Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Xiaogan, China",
    "Medical College, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China"
  ],
  "article_type": "systematic review",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 3,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1
      ],
      "name": "Zhigang Li"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Ke Gong"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Ning Liu"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/8p730b8dpy429.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.3389/fonc.2026.1948193",
  "fulltext_url": "https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC13696251/",
  "id": "8p730b8dpy429",
  "issns": [
    "2234-943X"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://doi.org/10.3389/fonc.2026.1948193",
  "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",
      "Systematic Review"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "2721|Hepatocellular Carcinoma Treatment and Prognosis"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7221456700",
  "pdf_url": "https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13696251?pdf=render",
  "pmcid": "PMC13696251",
  "pmid": "42935660",
  "published": "2026-10-12",
  "publisher": "Frontiers Media SA",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/8p730b8dpy429.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:17:38Z",
      "native_id": "PMC13696251",
      "source": "pmc",
      "url": "https://doi.org/10.3389/fonc.2026.1948193"
    },
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:20:13Z",
      "native_id": "10.3389/fonc.2026.1948193",
      "source": "crossref",
      "url": "https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fonc.2026.1948193/full"
    },
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:22:12Z",
      "native_id": "MED:42935660",
      "source": "europepmc",
      "url": "https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42935660"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "medicine",
      "origin": "issn:2234-943X",
      "subfield": "oncology"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Imaging biomarkers related to 18F-FDG PET/CT for predicting microvascular invasion in hepatocellular carcinoma: a systematic review and meta-analysis",
  "title_text": "Imaging biomarkers related to 18F-FDG PET/CT for predicting microvascular invasion in hepatocellular carcinoma: a systematic review and meta-analysis",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:33:37Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/8p730b8dpy429",
  "venue": "Frontiers in Oncology",
  "versions": []
}