Background: Non-hypervascular hypointense hepatic nodules during the hepatobiliary phase of gadolinium-ethoxybenzyl-diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (Gd-EOB-DTPA)-enhanced MRI have been reported to be associated with intrahepatic distant recurrence (IDR) after hepatectomy or radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). IDR is categorized into hypervascular transformation of non-hypervascular hypointense hepatic nodules and new intrahepatic recurrence. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between non-hypervascular hypointense hepatic nodules on Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI and IDR after RFA, focusing on new intrahepatic recurrence. Methods: Ninety-one consecutive patients with 115 HCCs undergoing pretreatment Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI and RFA for treatment of HCC were enrolled. Results: Of the 91 patients who underwent RFA for HCC, 24 had non-hypervascular hypointense hepatic nodules on pretreatment Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI. Recurrences were observed in 15 and 19 patients with and without non-hypervascular hypointense hepatic nodules, respectively. Of the 15 recurrences in patients with non-hypervascular hypointense hepatic nodules, 10 patients had new intrahepatic recurrences. The cumulative incidence of new intrahepatic recurrence was significantly higher in patients with non-hypervascular hypointense hepatic nodules than in those without non-hypervascular hypointense hepatic nodules (p < 0.0001). Multivariate analysis revealed that the presence of non-hypervascular hypointense hepatic nodules and Child-Pugh score were independent risk factors for new intrahepatic recurrence. Conclusions: Non-hypervascular hypointense hepatic nodules during the hepatobiliary phase of Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI were a useful predictive factor for IDR, particularly for new intrahepatic recurrence, after RFA.

Keywords:
Hepatocellular carcinoma, Non-hypervascular hypointense hepatic nodules, Radiofrequency ablation, Gadolinium-ethoxybenzyl-diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid-enhanced MRI, Recurrence
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