CT and MRI of the liver for hepatocellular carcinoma

Abstract

Computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are commonly used modalities for the imaging based diagnosis and staging of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System (LI-RADS) was initially released in 2011 in an effort to standardize the interpretation and reporting of these studies in patients at increased risk for the development of HCC. With the release of LI-RADS v2018, LI-RADS has reached two important milestones-10 years since the formation of the American College of Radiology supported LI-RADS committee and integration of LI-RADS into the 2018 American Association for the Study of Liver Disease practice guidance for HCC. In this article, we will discuss recent changes to LI-RADS with v2018, technical recommendations for the performance of CT and MRI in patients at risk for HCC, and critical imaging features in the LI-RADS algorithm.