Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41899542›Full record

ReviewCancers2026

Radiomics for Detection and Differentiation of Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Zayan Alidina, Illiyun Banani, Umm E Abiha, Ujala Sultan, Timothy M Pawlik

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Cancers, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Zayan AlidinaMedical College, Aga Khan University, Karachi 74800, Pakistan.ORCID 0009-0001-0253-4706
Illiyun BananiMedical College, Aga Khan University, Karachi 74800, Pakistan.
Umm E AbihaMedical College, Aga Khan University, Karachi 74800, Pakistan.ORCID 0009-0006-9202-7826
Ujala SultanMedical College, Aga Khan University, Karachi 74800, Pakistan.ORCID 0009-0001-7281-7090
Timothy M PawlikDepartment of Surgery, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and James Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbus, OH 43210, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-7994-9870

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundIntrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) is an aggressive primary liver malignancy with limited survival, largely due to delayed diagnosis, recurrence and limited effective therapeutic options. Radiomics- and artificial intelligence (AI)-based imaging models have emerged as promising tools to improve noninvasive detection and differentiation of ICC. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the diagnostic performance of radiomics-based AI models for ICC.

methodsA systematic search of PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and the Cochrane Library was performed from inception through 2025 in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. Studies assessing radiomics- or AI-based models derived from CT, MRI, PET, or ultrasound for differentiation of ICC from other hepatic lesions were included. Pooled sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio (PLR), and negative likelihood ratio (NLR) were estimated using a bivariate random-effects model. Study quality and risk of bias were assessed using the Radiomics Quality Score (RQS) and QUADAS-2 tools.

resultsTwenty retrospective studies comprising 8746 participants were included. Across pooled validation and test datasets, radiomics-based AI models demonstrated a pooled sensitivity of 0.77 (95% CI, 0.69-0.84) and specificity of 0.88 (95% CI, 0.78-0.94) for differentiating ICC from non-ICC hepatic lesions. The pooled PLR was 6.81 (95% CI, 3.51-13.2), and the pooled NLR was 0.23 (95% CI, 0.09-0.61). CT-based models showed higher diagnostic performance compared with MRI and ultrasound. Subgroup and meta-regression analyses identified imaging modality, contrast phase, segmentation strategy, and validation approach as contributors to interstudy heterogeneity. The overall methodological quality demonstrated a mean Radiomics Quality Score (RQS) of 14.0 (range 11-24), corresponding to approximately 39% of the maximum achievable score. External validation cohorts were incorporated in 60% of the studies, although adherence to standardized feature reproducibility frameworks varied.

conclusionsRadiomics-based AI models demonstrate clinically meaningful diagnostic accuracy for noninvasive differentiation of ICC and may complement conventional imaging in preoperative evaluation. Prospective, multicenter studies with standardized imaging protocols and rigorous external validation are required before routine clinical adoption.

Indexed as

artificial intelligence (AI)intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC)machine learning (ML)radiomics

Identifiers

PMID41899542
PMCPMC13024450

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.