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World J Gastroenterol. Mar 14, 2025; 31(10): 103454
Published online Mar 14, 2025. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v31.i10.103454
Advances in imaging techniques for tumor microenvironment evaluation in hepatocellular carcinoma
Li-Li Wang, Fa-Chang Zhang, Han-Xin Xu, Dian-Dian Deng, Bing-Jie Ren, Qi Tan, Ya-Xin Liu, Wen-Hui Zhao, Jia-Le Lu
Li-Li Wang, Department of Radiology, The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730030, Gansu Province, China
Fa-Chang Zhang, Han-Xin Xu, Dian-Dian Deng, Bing-Jie Ren, Qi Tan, Ya-Xin Liu, Wen-Hui Zhao, Jia-Le Lu, First Clinical Medical School of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730030, Gansu Province, China
Co-first authors: Li-Li Wang and Fa-Chang Zhang.
Author contributions: Zhang FC contributed to the article drafting and critically reviewing the academic content of the article; Xu HX, Deng DD, and Ren BJ participated in the literature collection, checking and revising the content of the paper; Tan Q, Liu YX, Zhao WH, and Lu JL contributed to the creation of tables and figures, modifying the paper’s format; Wang LL contributed to the conceptualization and design of the paper, critically reviewing the academic content of the article, financial support. Wang LL and Zhang FC contributed equally to this study and are recognized as co-first authors.
Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, No. 82360132; and the First Hospital of Lanzhou University, No. ldyyyn2020-14.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
Open Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Li-Li Wang, MD, Associate Chief Physician, Department of Radiology, The First Hospitals of Lanzhou University, No. 1 Donggangxi Road, Lanzhou 730030, Gansu Province, China. wangll19@lzu.edu.cn
Received: November 21, 2024
Revised: December 31, 2024
Accepted: February 11, 2025
Published online: March 14, 2025
Processing time: 98 Days and 13.4 Hours
Core Tip

Core Tip: Imaging technologies play a crucial role in the preoperative assessment of the tumor microenvironment in hepatocellular carcinoma. By evaluating key features such as vascularity, immune infiltration, and stromal components, these techniques provide valuable insights into tumor biology. A comprehensive assessment of the tumor microenvironment allows for the development of personalized treatment strategies, optimizing therapeutic outcomes for liver cancer patients. Advanced imaging modalities, including magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography, and positron emission tomography, help predict tumor behavior and response to treatment, ultimately contributing to more precise and effective clinical decision-making.