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Abbreviated MRI Using Gadoxetic Acid Versus CT for Surveillance of Recurrent HCC After Curative Treatment

NCT06537193 · Status: RECRUITING · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 455

Last updated 2026-03-10

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) often has a poor prognosis after curative treatment due to frequent recurrence. Post-surgery, 60-70% of HCC patients experience recurrence, rising to 80% after ablation therapy. This is partly because underlying cirrhosis or chronic liver disease remains, increasing the risk of secondary HCC. The risk of recurrence varies over time, with a high risk in the first two years due to micro-metastasis. Later recurrences are usually new primary cancers (de novo HCC). Therefore, regular imaging tests, such as computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) every three months in the first two years, are necessary for early detection, but guidelines for post-two-year screenings are unclear.

Currently, for patients recurrence-free for two years, contrast-enhanced liver CT or MRI is performed every 3-6 months as a secondary screening test. However, repeated use of CT raises concerns about radiation exposure and iodine-based contrast agents can lead to side effects and kidney issues. MRI with hepatocyte-specific agents like gadoxetic acid (Primovist) is effective but costly and time-consuming, with potential side effects from repeated gadolinium exposure. Therefore, there is a need for a validated secondary screening method that is both effective and reduces patient risk.

Abbreviated contrast-enhanced MRI, using only essential sequences, has shown promise in retrospective studies for detecting HCC. However, these studies have limitations, such as potential bias and lack of data on repeated screenings. There is limited research on secondary screening post-curative treatment for HCC. This study aims to prospectively evaluate the use of abbreviated contrast-enhanced MRI with Primovist as a secondary screening method for detecting secondary HCC in patients who have been recurrence-free for more than two years.

Conditions

Interventions

DIAGNOSTIC_TEST

AMRI

The study subjects will receive intravenous injection of gadoxetic acid (0.025 mmol/kg, Primovist; Bayer, Berlin, Germany) in the waiting room and then proceed to the examination room for MRI testing 15-20 minutes later. The MRI examination will be conducted using a 3-Tesla MRI machine, and the MRI protocol consists of T2-weighted imaging,diffusion-weighted imaging (b value of 0, 50, and 500 s/mm2), and hepatobiliary phase imaging.

DIAGNOSTIC_TEST

CT

CT will be performed by obtaining dynamic phases (precontrast phase, arterial phase, portal venous phase, and delayed phase images). Subjects will receive intravenous injection of iodine contrast media. Scan coverage was from the basal lung to the iliac crest or pelvis.

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • Asan Medical Center

    lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

  • So Yeon Kim, MD, PhD · Asan Medical Center

Study Design

Allocation
NA
Purpose
SCREENING
Masking
NONE
Model
SINGLE_GROUP

Eligibility

Min Age
20 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2024-12-12
Primary Completion
2027-07-31
Completion
2028-12-31

Countries

  • South Korea

Study Locations

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Entities

Diseases

Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT06537193 on ClinicalTrials.gov