Value of threshold growth as a major diagnostic feature of hepatocellular carcinoma in LI-RADS

Abstract

Background & Aims The Liver Reporting and Data System (LI-RADS) version 2018 simplified the definition of threshold growth to ‘≥50% size increase in a mass in ≤6 months’. However, the diagnostic value of threshold growth for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remained unclear. We evaluated the value of threshold growth, as defined by LI-RADS v2018, in diagnosing HCCs. Methods Patients who underwent preoperative gadoxetate disodium-enhanced MRI because of the presence of LI-RADS category 2, 3, or 4 rather than category 5 on prior CT/MRI between January 2017 and December 2020 were retrospectively evaluated. Pathologic or clinical diagnoses were used as reference standards. Imaging features were evaluated by three readers according to LI-RADS v2018. The frequency and diagnostic odds ratio of threshold growth were calculated. The diagnostic performance of LI-RADS category 5 was separately evaluated when threshold growth was and was not considered a major feature, and results were compared using generalized estimation equations. Subgroups of patients who underwent CT/MRI during the previous 3–6 months were analyzed. Results Analysis of 340 observations in 243 patients found that the frequency of threshold growth was 18.8% and it gradually increased over time. Threshold growth was significantly associated with HCC (diagnostic odds ratio 5.2; 95% CI 2.1–12.7; p <0.001). Use of threshold growth as a major feature significantly increased sensitivity in both the overall (66.4% vs. 57.3%, p <0.001) and subgroup (73.4% vs. 58.2%, p <0.001) cohorts, but had no effect on specificity in either the overall (97.5% vs. 98.3%, p = 0.319) or subgroup (95.9% vs. 98.0%, p = 0.323) cohorts. Conclusion The revised threshold growth of LI-RADS v2018 was significantly associated with HCC. Use of threshold growth as a major diagnostic feature of HCC can improve the sensitivity of LI-RADS v2018.