The value of the apparent diffusion coefficient value in the Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System (LI-RADS)...

Area of Science:

• Radiology
• Oncology
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a significant global health concern.
• Accurate risk stratification and early detection of HCC are crucial for effective patient management.
• The Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System (LI-RADS) provides standardized criteria for liver lesion assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the utility of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values in conjunction with LI-RADS version 2018 for predicting HCC.
• To determine if ADC measurements improve the diagnostic performance of LI-RADS in differentiating HCC from other liver lesions.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 137 hepatic focal lesions in 108 patients at risk for HCC.
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the liver was performed for all patients.
• Hepatic lesions were categorized using LI-RADS version 2018, and ADC values were calculated by two independent blinded reviewers.

Main Results:

• Excellent inter-observer agreement was observed for LI-RADS categorization and ADC measurements.
• A strong negative correlation was found between ADC values and LI-RADS categories (r = -0.849 and -0.846).
• Specific ADC cut-off values (≤ 1.21-1.23 × 10^-3 mm²/s) effectively differentiated LI-RADS 3 from higher categories (4, 5, TIV) with high area under the curve (AUC) values (0.948-0.926).

Conclusions:

• Incorporating ADC measurements into the LI-RADS version 2018 framework significantly improves the differentiation between various LI-RADS categories.
• ADC values serve as a valuable quantitative biomarker that aids in the prediction of hepatocellular carcinoma.