Abstract

Objectives

To evaluate the quality of radiomics studies using cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) according to the radiomics quality score (RQS), Transparent Reporting of a multivariable prediction model for Individual Prognosis Or Diagnosis (TRIPOD) guidelines, and the standards defined by the Image Biomarker Standardization Initiative (IBSI) and identify areas needing improvement.

Materials and methods

PubMed and Embase were searched to identify radiomics studies using CMR until March 10, 2021. Of the 259 identified articles, 32 relevant original research articles were included. Studies were scored according to the RQS, TRIPOD guidelines, and IBSI standards by two cardiac radiologists.

Results

The mean RQS was 14.3% of the maximum (5.16 out of 36). RQS were low for the demonstration of validation (−60.6%), calibration statistics (1.6%), potential clinical utility (3.1%), and open science (3.1%) items. No study conducted a phantom study or cost-effectiveness analysis. The adherence to TRIPOD guidelines was 55.9%. Studies were deficient in reporting title (3.1%), stating objective in abstract and introduction (6.3% and 9.4%), missing data (0%), discrimination/calibration (3.1%), and how to use the prediction model (3.1%). According to the IBSI standards, non-uniformity correction, image interpolation, grey-level discretization, and signal intensity normalization were performed in two (6.3%), four (12.5%), six (18.8%), and twelve (37.5%) studies, respectively.

Conclusion

The quality of radiomics studies using CMR is suboptimal. Improvements are needed in the areas of validation, calibration, clinical utility, and open science. Complete reporting of study objectives, missing data, discrimination/calibration, how to use the prediction model, and preprocessing steps are necessary.

Key Points

• The quality of science in radiomics studies using CMR is currently inadequate.

• RQS were low for validation, calibration, clinical utility, and open science; no study conducted a phantom study or cost-effectiveness analysis.

• In stating the study objective, missing data, discrimination/calibration, how to use the prediction model, and preprocessing steps, improvements are needed.

Journal: European Radiology

Author

Suyon Chang, Kyunghwa Han, Young Joo Suh & Byoung Wook Choi 

DOI: doi.org/10.1007/s00330-022-08587-9