Performance of Gd-EOB-DTPA MRI Criteria for Diagnosis of Pathologically Proven HCC: A Comparison with AASLD and Barcelona Criteria.

Anokh Pahwa¹, Katrina Beckett², Stephanie Channual², Nelly Tan², David Lu², Steven Raman²

Hepatobiliary specific MR contrast is becoming more prevalent, and understanding its applicability with existing imaging criteria is essential for the noninvasive evaluation of the cirrhotic liver. The purpose was to determine the applicability of Gd-EOB-DTPA, an extracellular contrast agent, with and without hepatobiliary phase imaging in conjunction with established AASLD and Barcelona Criteria for imaging-based diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Hepatobiliary phase imaging when using Gd-EOB-DTPA increased sensitivity for the diagnosis of HCC when compared to using established criteria alone, with a small decrease in specificity, which supports a role for hepatobiliary specific contrast agents to improve diagnosis of HCC.