Up-to-Date Role of CT/MRI LI-RADS in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Abstract

Guilherme Moura Cunha,1 Victoria Chernyak,2 Kathryn J Fowler,1 Claude B Sirlin1 1Liver Imaging Group, Department of Radiology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA; 2Department of Radiology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USACorrespondence: Guilherme Moura CunhaLiver Imaging Group, Department of Radiology, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr. Mail Code 0888, La Jolla, San Diego, CA, 92093, USAEmail [email protected]: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a leading cause of mortality worldwide and a major healthcare burden in most societies. Computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) play a pivotal role in the medical care of patients with or at risk for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). When stringent imaging criteria are fulfilled, CT and MRI allow for diagnosis, staging, and assessment of response to treatment, without the need for invasive workup, and can inform clinical decision making. Owing to the central role of these imaging modalities in HCC management, standardization is essential to facilitate proper imaging technique, accurate interpretation, and clear communication among all stakeholders in both the clinical practice and research settings. The Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System (LI-RADS) is a comprehensive system that provides standardization across the continuum of HCC imaging, including ordinal probabilistic approach for reporting that directs individualized management. This review discusses the up-to-date role of CT and MRI in HCC imaging from the LI-RADS perspective. It also provides a glimpse into the future by discussing how advances in knowledge and technology are likely to enrich the LI-RADS approach.Keywords: hepatocellular carcinoma, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, LI-RADS

Keywords

• hepatocellular carcinoma
• computed tomography
• magnetic resonance imaging
• li-rads