Prediction of the Ki-67 marker index in hepatocellular carcinoma based on Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasonography with Sonazoid

BACKGROUND: Ki-67 is widely used as a proliferative and prognostic factor in HCC. This study aimed to analyze the relationship between dynamic contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (DCE-US) parameters and Ki-67 expression. METHODS: One hundred and twenty patients with histopathologically confirmed HCC who underwent DCE-US were included in this prospective study. Patients were classified according to the Ki-67 marker index into low Ki-67 (< 10%) (n = 84) and high Ki-67 (≥ 10%) groups (n = 36). Quantitative perfusion parameters were obtained and analyzed. RESULTS: Clinicopathological features (pathological grade and microvascular invasion) were significantly different between the high and low Ki-67 expression groups (p = 0.029 and p = 0.020, respectively). In the high Ki-67 expression group, the peak energy (PE) in the arterial phase and fall time (FT) were significantly different between the HCC lesions and distal liver parenchyma (p = 0.016 and p = 0.025, respectively). PE in the Kupffer phase was significantly different between the HCC lesions and the distal liver parenchyma in the low Ki-67 expression group (p = 0.029). The difference in PE in the Kupffer phase between HCC lesions and distal liver parenchyma was significantly different between the high and low Ki-67 expression groups (p = 0.045). The difference in PE in the Kupffer phase between HCC lesions and distal liver parenchyma < − 4.0 × 10(7) a.u. may contribute to a more accurate diagnosis of the high Ki-67 expression group, and the sensitivity and specificity were 82.9% and 38.7%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The DCE-US parameters have potential as biomarkers for predicting Ki-67 expression in patients with HCC.