ObjectivesThe accurate prediction of post-hepatectomy early recurrence in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is crucial for decision-making regarding postoperative adjuvant treatment and monitoring. We aimed to explore the feasibility of deep learning (DL) features derived from gadoxetate disodium (Gd-EOB-DTPA) MRI, qualitative features, and clinical variables for predicting early recurrence.MethodsIn this bicentric study, 285 patients with HCC who underwent Gd-EOB-DTPA MRI before resection were divided into training (n= 195) and validation (n= 90) sets. DL features were extracted from contrast-enhanced MRI images using VGGNet-19. Three feature selection methods and five classification methods were combined for DL signature construction. Subsequently, an mp-MR DL signature fused with multiphase DL signatures of contrast-enhanced images was constructed. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to identify early recurrence risk factors including mp-MR DL signature, microvascular invasion (MVI), and tumor number. A DL nomogram was built by incorporating deep features and significant clinical variables to achieve early recurrence prediction.ResultsMVI (p= 0.039), tumor number (p= 0.001), and mp-MR DL signature (p< 0.001) were independent risk factors for early recurrence. The DL nomogram outperformed the clinical nomogram in the training set (AUC: 0.949 vs. 0.751;p< 0.001) and validation set (AUC: 0.909 vs. 0.715;p= 0.002). Excellent DL nomogram calibration was achieved in both training and validation sets. Decision curve analysis confirmed the clinical usefulness of DL nomogram.ConclusionThe proposed DL nomogram was superior to the clinical nomogram in predicting early recurrence for HCC patients after hepatectomy.Key Points• Deep learning signature based on Gd-EOB-DTPA MRI was the predominant independent predictor of early recurrence for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after hepatectomy.• Deep learning nomogram based on clinical factors and Gd-EOB-DTPA MRI features is promising for predicting early recurrence of HCC.• Deep learning nomogram outperformed the conventional clinical nomogram in predicting early recurrence.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00330-023-09419-0.