Table 1 Clinical characteristics of patients in the training and test sets

Age (years)

59.42 ± 12.54

61.29 ± 11.62

0.411^a

55.25 ± 11.67

62.538 ± 15.09

0.154^a

Sex

0.904

0.488

Male

50 (84.7%)

47 (83.9%)

14 (87.5%)

13 (100%)

Female

9 (15.3%)

9 (16.1%)

2 (12.5%)

0 (0.0%)

Hypertension

0.392

0.78

No

50 (84.7%)

44 (78.6%)

16 (100%)

10 (76.9%)

Yes

9 (15.3%)

12 (21.4%)

0 (0.0%)

3 (23.1%)

Diabetes

0.743

1

No

53 (89.8%)

52 (92.9%)

15 (93.8%)

12 (92.3%)

Yes

6 (10.2%)

4 (7.1%)

1 (6.2%)

1 (7.7%)

HBsAg

0.51

1

Negative

18 (30.5%)

14 (25%)

9 (15.3%)

9 (16.1%)

Positive

41 (69.5%)

42 (75%)

50 (84.7%)

47 (83.9%)

Child–Pugh classification

0.05

0.697

A

39 (66.1%)

46 (82.1%)

11 (68.8%)

10 (76.9%)

B/C

20 (33.9%)

10 (17.9%)

5 (31.2%)

3 (23.1%)

BCLC stage

0.089

0.143

A

32 (54.2%)

39 (69.6%)

4 (25%)

7 (53.8%)

B/C

27 (45.8%)

17 (30.4%)

12 (75%)

6 (46.2%)

Treatment modality

0.118

0.379

c-TACE

37 (62.7%)

27 (48.2%)

6 (37.5%)

7 (53.8%)

DEB‑TACE

22 (37.2%)

29 (51.8%)

10 (62.5%)

6 (46.2%)

Laboratory values

AFP

0.698

0.606

 ≤ 400 (ng/ml)

42 (71.2%)

38 (67.9%)

13 (81.2%)

12 (92.3%)

> 400 (ng/ml)

17 (28.8%)

18 (32.1%)

3 (18.8%)

1 (7.7%)

CEA

0.251

0.606

 ≤ 5 ng/ml

52 (88.1%)

45 (80.4%)

13 (81.2%)

12 (92.3%)

> 5 ng/ml

7 (11.9%)

11 (19.6%)

3 (18.8%)

1 (7.7%)

AST

0.158

0.588

≤ 40 (U/L)

27 (45.8%)

33 (58.9%)

7 (43.8%)

7 (53.8%)

> 40 (U/L)

32 (54.2%)

23 (41.1%)

9 (56.2%)

6 (46.2%)

ALT

0.322

0.379

≤ 50 (U/L)

42 (71.2%)

35 (62.5%)

10 (62.5%)

6 (46.2%)

> 50 (U/L)

17 (28.8%)

21 (37.5%)

6 (37.5%)

7 (53.8%)

Albumin

0.542

0.321

> 40 (g/L)

10 (16.9%)

12 (21.4%)

5 (31.2%)

2 (15.4%)

≤ 40 (g/L)

49 (83.1%)

44 (78.6%)

11 (68.8%)

11 (84.6%)

Total bilirubin

0.403

1

≤ 17.1 (µmol/L)

27 (45.8%)

30 (53.6%)

6 (37.5%)

5 (38.5%)

> 17.1 (µmol/L)

32 (54.2%)

26 (46.4%)

10 (62.5%)

8 (61.5%)

Prothrombin time

0.574

0.837

≤ 13 (s)

36 (61%)

37 (66.1%)

8 (50%)

6 (46.2%)

> 13 (s)

23 (39%)

19 (33.9%)

8 (50%)

7 (53.8%)

Platelet count

0.412

0.774

≥ 125 × 109/L

25 (42.4%)

28 (50%)

7 (43.8%)

5 (38.5%)

< 125 × 109/L

34 (57.6%)

28 (50%)

9 (56.2%)

8 (61.5%)

NLR

3.46 (2.27–5.4)

3 (1.91–5.98)

0.849^b*

2.38 (1.71–3.35)

4.11 (2.52–6.38)

0.015^b*

PLR

106 (70–160)

97.5 (67.5–153.3)

0.585^b*

80.41 (0.467–2.243)

90 (65.24–137.08)

0.589^b*

MR imaging features

Cirrhosis of background

0.168

1

Absent

17 (28.8%)

23 (41.1%)

6 (37.5%)

5 (38.5%)

Present

42 (71.2%)

33 (58.9%)

10 (62.5%)

8 (61.5%)

Tumor number

0.433

0.379

Solitary

37 (62.7%)

39 (69.6%)

6 (37.5%)

7 (53.8%)

Multiple

22 (37.3%)

17 (30.4%)

10 (62.5%)

6 (46.2%)

Tumor diameter

4.7 (2.1 to 7. 7)

3.6 (1.7 to 6.12)

0.17^b*

5.1 (2.02 to 9.65)

4.3 (3.05 to 6.65)

0.559^b*

Tumor margin

0.321

0.379

Smooth margin

37 (62.7%)

40 (71.4%)

6 (37.5%)

7 (53.8%)

Non-smooth margin

22 (37.3%)

16 (28.6%)

10 (62.5%)

6 (46.2%)

Portal venous invasion

0.025

0.044

Negative

43 (72.9%)

50 (89.3%)

9 (56.2%)

12 (92.3%)

Positive

16 (27.1%)

6 (10.7%)

7 (43.8%)

1 (7.7%)