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Not yet recruitingNCT07704216Updated Jul 15, 2026

Peritumoral MRE Stiffness for Predicting Resection Margin Status and Recurrence in Liver Cancer

An observational study in Hepato Cellular Carcinoma, Intrahepatic Bile Duct Carcinoma and Metastatic Hepatocellular Carcinoma, sponsored by Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University. Not yet recruiting. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 80 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-07-15.

Sponsored by Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University · Observational

Study type
Observational
Model
Cohort
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrollment
150
Ages
18 Years to 80 Years
Sex
All
01

Study summary

Microscopic residual tumor at the resection margin is a critical risk factor for recurrence in patients undergoing hepatectomy for liver cancer, yet current detection relies solely on postoperative pathological examination of the resected specimen, which reflects only the removed tissue rather than the actual remnant liver in the patient. How to non-invasively detect residual tumor at the resection margin of the remnant liver after surgery remains an important unresolved problem in the surgical management of liver cancer. We hypothesize that tissue stiffness at the resection margin of the remnant liver, measured by postoperative three-dimensional magnetic resonance elastography (3D-MRE), may reflect microscopic residual tumor and may therefore correlate with pathological resection margin status and be predictive of postoperative tumor recurrence. This study aims to prospectively evaluate the diagnostic performance of postoperative 3D-MRE in detecting residual tumor at the resection margin, using pathological resection margin status as the reference standard, and to further assess its value in predicting tumor recurrence in patients undergoing hepatectomy for liver cancer.

02

Conditions studied

  • Hepato Cellular Carcinoma
  • Intrahepatic Bile Duct Carcinoma
  • Metastatic Hepatocellular Carcinoma
03

In context

Cholangiocarcinoma

824 studies on the registry are indexed under Cholangiocarcinoma; 287 are open to participants now.

This study's planned enrollment of 150 is below the median of 196 across 161 observational studies indexed under Cholangiocarcinoma.

Browse Cholangiocarcinoma studies →

Lead sponsor

Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University is the lead sponsor of 70 studies on the registry; 16 are open to participants now.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

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Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years to 80 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No
Sampling method
Non-probability sample

Study population

This study will enroll adult patients with primary or metastatic liver cancer, including hepatocellular carcinoma, intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, or liver metastases (e.g., from colorectal cancer), who undergo curative-intent hepatectomy at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University. Eligible patients will undergo postoperative 3D-MRE examination of the remnant liver and be followed to assess pathological resection margin status and subsequent tumor recurrence. Patients will be consecutively recruited from the hepatobiliary surgery department of the study center.

Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.

Inclusion criteria

  • Age 18-80 years
  • confirmed diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma, intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, or liver (e.g., from colorectal cancer)
  • Underwent curative-intent hepatectomy with available postoperative pathological resection margin assessment
  • class A or B liver function (for patients with primary liver cancer)
  • Able to undergo 3D-MRE examination at postoperative day 7-14
  • Provision of signed and dated

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • to MRI (e.g., non-MRI-compatible implants, severe claustrophobia)
  • Palliative or non-curative surgery (R2 resection)
  • Presence of unresectable extrahepatic disease at the time of surgery
  • Reoperation or unplanned return to surgery within 14 days after the initial hepatectomy
  • Severe postoperative complications precluding MRI examination at postoperative day 7-14 (e.g., unstable vital signs, need for intensive care)
  • Death within 14 days after surgery from non-tumor-related causes
  • Prior history of liver resection or liver transplantation
  • Pregnant or breastfeeding women
  • Anticipated poor compliance with postoperative MRE examination or follow-up
Terms in these criteria, in plain language(5)

Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.

Histologically or cytologically confirmed

The diagnosis was confirmed by looking at a sample under a microscope: tissue from a biopsy or surgery (histology), or cells from a fluid or needle sample (cytology).

Your pathology report is the document that shows this.

Metastases

Cancer that has spread from where it began to other parts of the body. “Metastatic” cancer is cancer that has spread this way.

Child-Pugh class

A score of how well the liver works in people with liver disease such as cirrhosis: class A is mild, B moderate and C severe.

Informed consent

Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.

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Contraindication

A reason a treatment, test or procedure should not be given to a particular person, such as an allergy, another illness or a medicine they take.

05

Study design

Observational model
Cohort
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrollment
150 participants (estimated)
Patient registry
No

Interventions

  • DeviceThree-Dimensional Magnetic Resonance Elastography

    Patients undergoing hepatectomy for liver cancer will undergo a postoperative three-dimensional magnetic resonance elastography (3D-MRE) examination of the remnant liver in addition to standard-of-care postoperative evaluation. 3D-MRE will be used to measure tissue stiffness and viscoelastic parameters at the resection margin of the remnant liver. These imaging findings will be compared with the pathological resection margin status (R0/R1) of the surgical specimen, which serves as the reference standard, to evaluate the diagnostic performance of 3D-MRE in detecting residual tumor at the resection margin. Patients will subsequently be followed to assess the association between 3D-MRE findings and postoperative tumor recurrence. The examination does not alter the standard postoperative management or treatment decisions.

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Diagnostic performance of postoperative 3D-MRE for detecting residual tumor at the resection margin

    Sensitivity, specificity, and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 3D-MRE-derived stiffness parameters at the resection margin of the remnant liver, compared with pathological resection margin status (R0 vs. R1) of the surgical specimen as the reference standard.

    Time frame: Postoperative day 7-14

Secondary outcomes

  1. Recurrence-Free Survival (RFS)

    Time from surgery to radiologically or pathologically confirmed tumor recurrence, or last follow-up if no recurrence occurs

    Time frame: Up to 2 years after surgery

  2. Overall Survival (OS)

    Time from surgery to death from any cause

    Time frame: Up to 2 years after surgery

  3. Correlation between 3D-MRE parameters at the resection margin and time to recurrence

    Association between quantitative 3D-MRE parameters (e.g., stiffness, damping ratio) measured at postoperative day 7-14 and subsequent time to tumor recurrence

    Time frame: Postoperative day 7-14 (MRE); up to 2 years (recurrence follow-up)

  4. Recurrence pattern (local vs. distant intrahepatic vs. extrahepatic)

    Classification of recurrence site and pattern based on imaging follow-up

    Time frame: Up to 2 years after surgery

07

Study locations

No study locations are listed for this record.

08

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Jul 15, 2026, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
09

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT07704216
Lead sponsor
Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Jul 15, 2026
Start date
Aug 1, 2026 (estimated)
Primary completion
Oct 1, 2029 (estimated)
Completion
Oct 1, 2031 (estimated)
Last update
Jul 15, 2026

Study contacts

Kai Qu
Contact
qukai001@xjtu.edu.cn
+8613609117104

Oversight

FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

Not currently enrolling

This study is not yet recruiting, as verified in Jul 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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