Background & aims: Liver computed tomography and dynamic magnetic resonance imaging play an important role in the early detection of hepatocellular carcinoma. However, the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) recommend the use of applied imaging studies for HCC diagnosis only in cirrhotic patients. This study aimed to comprehensively compare liver CT and dynamic MRI for HCC diagnosis before surgical resection over years in clinical practice, and also to compare the diagnostic differences between liver CT and dynamic MRI in HCCs with varying degrees of fibrosis.
Methods: 841 patients with liver tumor who had liver CT or dynamic MRI examinations followed by surgical resection were included in the study. We defined typical HCC imaging characteristics as early enhancement in the artery phase and early washout in the venous phase. The tumor size was recorded based on pathological examination after surgery. The pathologic fibrosis score was verified by the METAVIR scoring classification.
Results: Among the 841 patients, 756 underwent liver CT and 204 underwent dynamic liver MRI before surgery. The etiologies of chronic liver disease included hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, hepatitis B and C virus, and non-hepatitis B or C virus. The sensitivity and accuracy of liver CT or MRI for HCC diagnosis was approximately 80%~90%. Liver CT had a diagnostic accuracy for HCC similar to that of dynamic MRI, and liver fibrosis stage did not influence their diagnostic efficacies.
Conclusions: The application of 4-phase dynamic CT and MRI exhibit similar diagnostic accuracy for hepatocellular carcinoma, in tumors of sizes 1 to 2 cm and >2 cm. Liver fibrosis status did not affect the diagnostic accuracy of liver CT or MRI for HCC. The AASLD and EASL restrictions of dynamic imaging studies for HCC diagnosis to cirrhotic patients alone are unnecessary.