Illustration of the method used to measure regions of interest on an MR image.

<p>With use of computer software (developed in-house by the authors), two independent observers freely and easily selected a region of interest by clicking a mesh unit on the right hepatic lobe of an image while avoiding the large vessels, focal hepatic lesions, or artifacts. Seven regions of interest were chosen for liver parenchyma (1–5, total liver ROI area sampled, 500 mm²) and paraspinous muscles (6 and 7, total muscle ROI area sampled, 200 mm²) in the same slice section of each sequence.</p

Scatter plots of LMR and hepatic iron concentration (µmol/g dry liver) on T2-GRE (A), T2-EPI (B), DW-EPI-500 (C), and DW-EPI-1000 (D).

<p>Correlation between LMR and hepatic iron concentration for linear regression with spline models are shown as solid lines on each sequence. The linear regression model [y = 131.0−139.7×LMR+106.5×(LMR−0.73)₊+27.4×(LMR−1.24)₊] on T2-EPI was optimal.</p

Survival rate of HCC patients according to NX-DCP expression level in HCC tissue or serum NX-DCP level.

<p>(A) The cases with negative NX-DCP expression (dotted line) showed lower survival rate (p = 0.04). Dashed line, high NX-DCP expression; solid line, low NX-DCP expression; dotted line, negative cases. (B) The survival rate of the serum NX-DCP positive cases (solid line) was significantly lower than that of negative cases. Dotted line, serum NX-DCP negative; solid line, positive cases.</p

Simple hepatic cyst in a 64-year-old woman.

<p>a) Abdominal CT scan shows a well-defined water attenuation lesion in the right hepatic lobe. (b) 3D-image showed a cyst capacity of 1800 ml. Note the Glisson’s pedicle in the base. (c) Laparoscopic aspiration and ethanol sclerosis using sand balloon catheter. (d) Wide unroofing in the right hepatic lobe.</p

Immunostaining of DCP (A-D) and NX-DCP (E-H) in HCC tissues.

<p>The staining intensity was graded into 4 levels, i.e., 0, negative; 1, weakly positive; 2, moderately positive; 3, strongly positive.</p

Immunostaining of DCP and NX-DCP in liver tissue of a patient with obstructive jaundice.

<p>(A-C) Liver tissue in a case of obstructive jaundice showing NX-DCP expression, but no DCP expression. HE stain (A), and immunostain for DCP (B) and NX-DCP (C). (D-F) Biliary epithelial cells of the same case showing NX-DCP expression, but no DCP expression. HE stain (D), and immunostain for DCP (E) and NX-DCP (F).</p

Infectious liver cyst in a 71-year-old woman.

<p>(a) Abdominal CT scan showed enhanced cystic wall. (b) Laparotomy view. (c) Intraoperative photograph of post-central hepatectomy. (d) Surgical sample: note the presence of an abscess separated by a septum from the tumor area.</p

Photomicrograph of HAK-1B cells cultured for 72 hours on a Lab-Tek Chamber slide.

<p>(A) Without PEG-IFN-α2a in culture medium. (B) With 4,194 ng/mL of PEG-IFN-α2a in culture medium. Apoptotic cells (short arrows) characterized by cytoplasmic shrinkage, chromatic condensation and nuclear fragmentation were noted (HE staining, X 200). </p

Photomicrograph of resected HAK-1B tumor.

<p>(A) Tumor cells are replaced with large granulation tissue at the middle of resected tumor. (arrowheads, HE staining, X20). (B) Artery-like blood vessels in the tumor (arrow, HE staining, X200). (C) Artery-like blood vessel in the tumor (arrow, CD34/α-SMA double-immunostain, X200).</p

Time-course change in estimated tumor volumes of subcutaneously transplanted HAK-1B (A) or KIM-1 (B) tumors in nude mice in Experiment 1.

<p>The mice received a subcutaneous injection of 0.06 (▲), 0.6 (○), 6 (●), or 60 (∆) µg of PEG-IFN-α2a, or medium alone (Control) (□), once a week for 2 consecutive weeks. The arrows show the days of injection. The figures represent average ± SE. *<i>P</i> < 0.0001, versus the other groups. †<i>P</i> < 0.01, versus the other groups. </p