HCC advances in diagnosis and prognosis: Digital and Imaging

Abstract

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a major cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Understanding of the pathogenesis of HCC has significantly improved in the past few years due to advances in genetics, molecular biology and pathology. Several subtypes have been identified with different backgrounds and outcomes, leading to possible changes in disease management and challenging the role of imaging. Indeed, despite its pivotal role in the diagnostic workup, prognosis, and the decision-making process in patients with HCC, these recent developments are progressively redefining the role of imaging. First and most important, liver imaging is shifting from a purely qualitative to a quantitative paradigm, integrating quantitative imaging and radiomics in a digital era. Second, to improve patient management, imaging has gradually moved beyond tumor-centered assessment to include a broader evaluation of the liver and its function. This review describes and discusses these advances in the imaging for the diagnosis and prognosis of HCC.