Retrospective Study
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2018.
World J Gastroenterol. Sep 7, 2018; 24(33): 3786-3798
Published online Sep 7, 2018. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v24.i33.3786
Table 1 Demography of patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma or hepatocellular carcinoma n (%)
CharacteristicTraining set (n = 117)
Validation set (n = 59)
P value
ICCHCCICCHCC
Number of patients56 (47.9)61 (52.1)32 (27.4)27 (23.1)0.425
Gender0.148
Male35 (29.9)56 (47.9)24 (20.5)21 (17.9)
Female21 (17.9)5 (4.3)8 (6.8)6 (5.1)
Age (yr)155 ± 11 (32-84)55 ± 11 (32-84)53 ± 10 (18-76)57 ± 11 (33-82)0.646
Hepatitis status0.627
Hepatitis B53 (45.3)59 (50.4)31 (26.5)27 (23.1)
Hepatitis B + C3 (2.6)2 (1.7)1 (0.9)0 (0)
AFP > 20 (μg/L)11 (9.4)29 (24.8)3 (2.6)11 (9.4)0.655
CA 19-9 > 35 (U/mL)22 (18.8)6 (5.1)15 (12.8)3 (2.6)0.691
Nodule size0.782
≤ 3.0 cm5 (4.3)9 (7.7)2 (1.7)3 (2.6)
3.1-5.0 cm9 (7.7)17 (14.5)8 (6.8)6 (5.1)
> 5.0 cm42 (35.9)35 (29.9)22 (18.8)18 (15.4)
Number of nodules0.156
One39 (33.3)42 (35.9)25 (21.4)24 (20.5)
Multiple17 (14.5)19 (16.2)7 (6.0)3 (2.6)
Table 2 Comparison and univariate analysis of contrast-enhanced ultrasound features between intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma and hepatocellular carcinoma n (%)
CEUS featuresICC1 (n = 62)HCC1 (n = 55)P valueOR(95%CI)
Irregular shape31 (50.0)9 (16.4)0.0005.037(2.002, 13.786)
Hyper-enhanced in arterial phase55 (88.7)54 (98.2)0.0650.147(0.003, 1.210)
Hypo/iso-enhanced in arterial phase7 (11.3)1 (1.8)0.0656.783(0.827, 314.886)
Hypo-enhanced in portal phase61 (98.4)40 (72.7)0.00022.391(3.206, 973.549)
Hypo-enhanced in late phase61 (98.4)51 (92.7)0.1864.728(0.449, 239.097)
Rim-enhancement40 (64.5)1 (1.8)0.00094.271(14.202, 3946.676)
Early washout (< 60 s)57 (91.9)17 (30.9)0.00024.563(8.022, 92.533)
Duration of enhancement (< 30 s)49 (79.0)11 (20)0.00014.614(5.653, 41.160)
Tumor supply artery12 (19.4)29 (52.7)0.0004.581(1.904, 11.618)
Peripheral circular artery or tumor capsule2 (3.2)14 (25.5)0.00010.060(2.137, 95.937)
Intra-tumoral vein36 (58.1)2 (3.6)0.00035.556(8.118, 327.503)
Obscure boundary of tumor43 (69.4)12 (21.8)0.0007.942(3.268, 20.550)
Obscure boundary of intra-tumoral non-enhanced area40 (64.5)1 (1.8)0.00094.271(14.202, 3946.676)
Marked washout38 (61.3)1 (1.8)0.00082.367(12.448, 3454.264)
Table 3 Comparison of the diagnostic performance of the contrast-enhanced ultrasound score vs contrast-enhanced ultrasound liver imaging reporting and data system in distinguishing intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma from hepatocellular carcinoma
SensitivitySpecificityPPVNPVAccuracyAUC(95%CI)P value
Training set (n = 117)
CEUS LI-RADS0.9360.6910.7730.9050.8210.813(0.744, 0.882)0.000
CEUS score0.8710.9460.9470.8670.9060.958(0.924, 0.993)
Validation set (n = 59)
CEUS LI-RADS1.0000.4850.6051.0000.7120.742(0.656, 0.829)0.000
CEUS score0.8850.9090.8850.9090.8980.953(0.907, 0.999)
≤ 5.0 cm subgroup (n = 59)
CEUS LI-RADS0.9170.6000.6110.9130.7290.758(0.658, 0.858)0.000
CEUS score0.7500.8860.8180.8380.8310.902(0.824, 0.980)
≤ 3.0 cm subgroup (n = 19)
CEUS LI-RADS0.8570.7500.6670.9000.7900.804(0.614, 0.993)0.512
CEUS score0.5710.9170.8000.7860.7900.833(0.636, 1.000)
Table 4 Univariate and multivariate logistic regression of independent variables in the prediction of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma
FactorsUnivariate analysis
Multivariate analysis
OR (95%CI)P valueOR (95%CI)P value
Gender (female)0.149 (0.046, 0.403)< 0.0010.190 (0.034,0.908)0.044
Age (yr)
> 400.786 (0.220, 2.618)0.696NANA
> 501.630 (0.778, 3.450)0.197NANA
AFP (mg/L) > 200.331 (0.148, 0.717)0.0060.508 (0.107, 2.212)0.370
CA199 (U/mL) > 3510.577 (4.152, 31.070)< 0.0015.352 (1.108, 30.336)0.043
CEUS score12.188 (5.475, 37.787)< 0.00114.078 (5.608, 52.831)< 0.001
Table 5 Comparison of the AUC, NRI and IDI of the contrast-enhanced ultrasound score nomogram vs contrast-enhanced ultrasound liver imaging reporting and data system nomogram in distinguishing intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma from hepatocellular carcinoma
AUC(95%CI)P valueNRI(95%CI)P valueIDI(95%CI)P value
Training set (n = 117)
CEUS LI-RADS nomogram0.891(0.834, 0.948)< 0.0010.446(0.263, 0.629)< 0.0010.210(0.140, 0.280)< 0.001
CEUS score nomogram0.971(0.948, 0.995)
Validation set (n = 59)
CEUS LI-RADS nomogram0.916(0.854, 0.978)0.0360.077(-0.141, 0.295)0.4880.152(0.044, 0.260)0.006
CEUS score nomogram0.973(0.941, 1.000)
≤ 5.0 cm subgroup (n = 59)
CEUS LI-RADS nomogram0.835(0.744, 0.926)0.0080.382(0.069, 0.695)0.0170.177(0.065, 0.289)0.002
CEUS score nomogram0.929(0.870, 0.988)
≤ 3.0 cm subgroup (n = 19)
CEUS LI-RADS nomogram0.881(0.732, 1.000)0.601-0.202(-0.572, 0.167)0.283-0.117(-0.284, 0.050)0.171
CEUS score nomogram0.905(0.772, 1.000)