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LI-RADS v2018: a Primer and Update for Clinicians

  • Hepatic Cancer (A Singal and A Mufti, Section Editors)
  • Published:
Current Hepatology Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose of Review

To familiarize readers with recent updates and additions to the Liver Imaging and Reporting Data System (LI-RADS) v2018 for hepatocellular carcinoma surveillance, diagnosis, and treatment response assessment.

Recent Findings

US surveillance, diagnosis, and treatment response assessment algorithms are now incorporated into LI-RADS v2018. Updates to the diagnostic algorithm for CT and MRI include clarification of the LI-RADS appropriate population, revision of LR-5 criteria to match with those advocated by the American Association for Study of Liver Disease, new specific criteria for the LR-M category, and modification of the tumor in vein (TIV) category.

Summary

LI-RADS v2018 facilitates clear communication between radiologists and the rest of the health care team by standardizing imaging terminology, interpretation, and reporting. LI-RADS also enhances imaging quality by providing minimal technical requirements for hepatocellular carcinoma imaging. Recent updates address US surveillance, clarify terminology, and incorporate treatment response. With these updates, LI-RADS addresses the entire spectrum of hepatocellular carcinoma imaging from screening to treatment response, thereby further promoting its integration into practice.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiology, University of California San Diego, 200 W Arbor Drive #8756, San Diego, CA, 92103, USA

    Kathryn J. Fowler

  2. Department of Radiology, Columbia University Medical Center, 622 W 168th St, PH1-317, New York, NY, 10032, USA

    Elizabeth Hecht

  3. University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada

    Ania Z. Kielar

  4. University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada

    Ania Z. Kielar

  5. Division of Digestive and Liver Diseases, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA

    Amit G. Singal

  6. Liver Imaging Group, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA

    Claude B. Sirlin

Authors
  1. Kathryn J. Fowler
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  2. Elizabeth Hecht
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  3. Ania Z. Kielar
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  4. Amit G. Singal
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  5. Claude B. Sirlin
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kathryn J. Fowler.

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Conflict of Interest

Kathryn J. Fowler and Elizabeth Hecht each declare no potential conflicts of interest. Ania Z. Kielar reports grants from General Electric, for liver MRI research. Amit G. Singal serves on the speakers bureau and as a consultant for Bayer. Claude B. Sirlin reports research grants from Bayer, GE, Philips, and Siemens; lab service agreements with Gilead, ICON, Intercept, Shire, Synageva, and VirtualScopics; consulting agreements with AMRA, Boehringer, Guerbet; and speaker’s bureau for Resoundant.

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This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Hepatic Cancer

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Fowler, K.J., Hecht, E., Kielar, A.Z. et al. LI-RADS v2018: a Primer and Update for Clinicians. Curr Hepatology Rep 17, 425–433 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11901-018-0441-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11901-018-0441-7

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