Precision Recurrence Risk Assessment in Early-stage Hepatocellular Carcinoma

This retrospective observational study aims to evaluate whether artificial intelligence (AI) models can predict aggressive recurrence in patients who underwent liver resection for early-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The main question it seeks to answer is: Can deep learning models combining preoperative MRI, postoperative pathology slides, and clinical data accurately identify HCC patients at high risk of aggressive recurrence after surgery? To answer this, the investigators will analyze existing medical data (preoperative MRIs, postoperative whole-slide images, and clinical records) from 579 patients across two medical centers. All data will be anonymized before analysis, and no additional interventions are required from participants. This study may help clinicians stratify high-risk patients who could benefit from closer surveillance or adjuvant therapies