Macrotrabecular-massive subtype in hepatocellular carcinoma based on contrast-enhanced CT: deep learning outperforms machine learning.

Objective: To develop a CT-based deep learning model for predicting the macrotrabecular-massive (MTM) subtype of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and to compare its diagnostic performance with machine learning models.

Materials and methods: We retrospectively collected contrast-enhanced CT data from patients diagnosed with HCC via histopathological examination between January 2019 and August 2023. These patients were recruited from two medical centers. All analyses were performed using two-dimensional regions of interest. We developed a novel deep learning network based on ResNet-50, named ResNet-ViT Contrastive Learning (RVCL). The RVCL model was compared against baseline deep learning models and machine learning models. Additionally, we developed a multimodal prediction model by integrating deep learning models with clinical parameters. Model performance was evaluated using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC).

Results: A total of 368 patients (mean age, 56 ± 10; 285 [77%] male) from two institutions were retrospectively enrolled. Our RVCL model demonstrated superior diagnostic performance in predicting MTM (AUC = 0.93) on the external test set compared to the five baseline deep learning models (AUCs range 0.46-0.72, all p < 0.05) and the three machine learning models (AUCs range 0.49-0.60, all p < 0.05). However, integrating the clinical biomarker Alpha-Fetoprotein (AFP) into the RVCL model did not significant improvement in diagnostic performance (internal test data set: AUC 0.99 vs 0.95 [p = 0.08]; external test data set: AUC 0.98 vs 0.93 [p = 0.05]).

Conclusion: The deep learning model based on contrast-enhanced CT can accurately predict the MTM subtype in HCC patients, offering a smart tool for clinical decision-making.

Critical relevance statement: The RVCL model introduces a transformative approach to the non-invasive diagnosis MTM subtype of HCC by harmonizing convolutional neural networks and vision transformers within a unified architecture.

Key points: The RVCL model can accurately predict the MTM subtype. Deep learning outperforms machine learning for predicting MTM subtype. RVCL boosts accuracy and guides personalized therapy.