Efficacy evaluation of the CEUS-LI-RADS-v2017 system in differential diagnosis of liver tumors

Objective: efficacy evaluation of the CEUS LI RADS v2017® system for differential diagnosis of liver tumors in patients with and without cirrhosis.

Materials and methods. Retrospective analysis of diagnostic results of the 165 patients with liver tumors (177 nodules) was done. All patients underwent CEUS with results interpretation in accordance to the CEUS LIRADSv2017 ® criteria. Patients were divided into 2 groups based on clinical and morphological data. Group 1 included 62 patients with cirrhosis and/or CVH. Group 2 included 110 patients without risk factors for HCC.

Results. Diagnostic efficiency of CEUS LI RADS v2017® for HCC identification was: group 1 – Se – 100%, Sp – 88%, Ac – 95.5%; group 2 – Se – 100%, Sp – 68.8%, Ac – 72.7%; general group Se – 100%, Sp – 72.2%, Ac – 81.4%. In the 2nd group, 21 out of 22 neoplasms, confirmed morphologically as FNH, we classified as LR 4. By applying benign character and specific contrasting patterns of FNG, they were transferred from LR 4 to LR 3. This allowed to increase sensitivity and specificity of differential diagnosis in group 2 (Se – 100%, Sp – 90.6%, Ac – 91.8%) and in general group (Se – 100%, Sp – 90.1%, Ac – 93.2%). Diagnostic efficiency of the criteria for non hepatocellular malignant neoplasms (LR M) was: group 1 – Se – 77.8%, Sp – 100%, Ac – 97%; group 2 – Se – 90%, Sp – 96.7%, Ac – 93.6%; general group- Se – 88.1%, Sp – 98.3%, Ac – 94.9%.

Conclusion. Our study confirmed high accuracy of the CEUS LI RADS v2017® system in the differential diagnosis of focal liver tumors. Modification of the system (in particular, transfer of typical FNG forms from the LR 4 category) will make it possible to increase the accuracy of diagnostics by 20%. It will allow to use the LI RADS v2017® system for interpretation CEUS not only among patients with liver cirrhosis, but also in a general group without risk factors of GCC.

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