# MRI-derived quantification of hepatic vessel-to-volume ratios in chronic liver disease using a deep learning approach

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2510.08039 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2510.08039/

## Key facts

- Cited by 1 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- Builds on 3 of its 48 references that are in the map.
- First posted on arXiv 9 Oct 2025.

## Builds on (most cited first, 3 of 3)

- [Adam: A Method for Stochastic Optimization](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1412.6980/) (2014)
- [3D U-Net: Learning Dense Volumetric Segmentation from Sparse Annotation](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1606.06650/) (2016)
- [Improving Vessel Segmentation with Multi-Task Learning and Auxiliary Data Available Only During Model Training](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2509.03975/) (2025)

## Built on by (most cited first, 1 of 1)

- [vesselFM-CT: Segmenting All Blood Vessels in CT Images for System-Level Cardiovascular Analysis](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2606.09400/) (2026)

## Abstract (arXiv)

Background: We aimed to quantify hepatic vessel volumes across chronic liver disease stages and healthy controls using deep learning-based magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) analysis, and assess correlations with biomarkers for liver (dys)function and fibrosis/portal hypertension. Methods: We assessed retrospectively healthy controls, non-advanced and advanced chronic liver disease (ACLD) patients using a 3D U-Net model for hepatic vessel segmentation on portal venous phase gadoxetic acid-enhanced 3-T MRI. Total (TVVR), hepatic (HVVR), and intrahepatic portal vein-to-volume ratios (PVVR) were compared between groups and correlated with: albumin-bilirubin (ALBI) and model for end-stage liver disease-sodium (MELD-Na) score, and fibrosis/portal hypertension (Fibrosis-4 [FIB-4] score, liver stiffness measurement [LSM], hepatic venous pressure gradient [HVPG], platelet count [PLT], and spleen volume). Results: We included 197 subjects, aged 54.9 ± 13.8 years (mean ± standard deviation), 111 males (56.3%): 35 healthy controls, 44 non-ACLD, and 118 ACLD patients. TVVR and HVVR were highest in controls (3.9; 2.1), intermediate in non-ACLD (2.8; 1.7), and lowest in ACLD patients (2.3; 1.0) (p ≤ 0.001). PVVR was reduced in both non-ACLD and ACLD patients (both 1.2) compared to controls (1.7) (p ≤ 0.001), but showed no difference between CLD groups (p = 0.999). HVVR significantly correlated indirectly with FIB-4, ALBI, MELD-Na, LSM, and spleen volume (ρ ranging from -0.27 to -0.40), and directly with PLT (ρ = 0.36). TVVR and PVVR showed similar but weaker correlations. Conclusions: Deep learning-based hepatic vessel volumetry demonstrated differences between healthy liver and chronic liver disease stages and shows correlations with established markers of disease severity.