Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42201507›Full record

ArticleEuropean radiology experimental2026

Clustering of quantitative CT features identifies HCC subtypes with distinct prognosis and immune signatures.

Shuang Wu, Fang Peng, Jiexing Huang, Lingrui Xu, Xiaoyue Zhang, Yong Bao, Yong Chen

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in European radiology experimental, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Shuang Wu *Department of Radiation Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
Fang Peng *Department of Radiation Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
Jiexing Huang *Department of Radiation Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
Lingrui XuDepartment of Radiation Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
Xiaoyue ZhangDepartment of Radiation Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
Yong BaoDepartment of Radiation Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China. baoyong@mail.sysu.edu.cn.
Yong ChenDepartment of Radiation Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China. chenyong@mail.sysu.edu.cn.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3891-2721

Funding

Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation of Guangdong Province 2019A151511117National Natural Science Foundation of China 82101989National Natural Science Foundation of China 82373203
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveThere is still a lack of widely applicable biomarkers for immunotherapy in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We aim to identify subtypes using computed tomography (CT) imaging features of HCC and assess their value in predicting prognosis and the effectiveness of immunotherapy. MATERIALS AND

methodsWe used unsupervised consensus clustering based on quantitative contrast-enhanced CT features to identify imaging subtypes and investigated their value in predicting prognosis and the effectiveness of immunotherapy in the discovery (n = 103) and immunotherapy-treated (n = 110) validation cohort. We also developed a gene-based classifier for imaging subtypes and tested their prognostic and biological relevance in two additional gene validation cohorts with publicly available gene expression data but without imaging data (n = 551).

resultsThe imaging subtypes demonstrated significant correlations with overall survival across all cohorts (p = 0.002, p < 0.001) and effectively predicted immunotherapy outcomes, with 1-year progression-free survival rates varying significantly (p < 0.001). Imaging subtypes 1 and 3 with favorable and intermediate immunotherapy responses showed significant activation of B-cells, lymphocyte-mediated immunity, and immune response (adjusted p-value ≤ 0.047, false discovery rate ≤ 0.043). Imaging subtype 2 with poor immunotherapy responses displayed the least activated CD8+ T cells, the lowest cytolytic activity, and the highest infiltration of neutrophil and regulatory T cells. Additionally, type I and II interferon responses were significantly downregulated in imaging subtype 2.

conclusionUnsupervised clustering of CT imaging features identified subtypes with significantly distinct prognosis and immune signatures. The imaging subtypes can serve as a marker for immunotherapy in HCC. RELEVANCE STATEMENT: The imaging subtypes identified in this study demonstrate significant clinical relevance by providing a non-invasive approach to predict prognosis and immunotherapy response for HCC. KEY POINTS: We identified three novel imaging subtypes using unsupervised consensus clustering of quantitative CT imaging features for HCC. Imaging subtypes were independent predictors of overall survival and the effectiveness of immunotherapy for HCC. The imaging subtypes can be used as a marker for immunotherapy in HCC.

Indexed as

Carcinoma, HepatocellularLiver NeoplasmsTomography, X-Ray ComputedCluster AnalysisClustering AlgorithmsFemaleHumansImmunotherapyMalePrognosisCluster analysisHepatocellular carcinomaImmune checkpoint inhibitorsRadiomicsTumor microenvironment

Identifiers

PMID42201507
PMCPMC13216361

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.