Characterization of hepatocellular carcinoma with CT with deep learning reconstruction compared with iterative reconstruction and 3-Tesla MRI.

OBJECTIVES

This study compared the characteristics of lesions suspicious for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and their LI-RADS classifications in adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction (ASIR) and deep learning reconstruction (DLR) to those of MR images, along with radiologist confidence.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This prospective single-center trial included patients who underwent four-phase liver CT and multiphasic contrast-enhanced MRI within 7 days from February to August 2023. The lesion characteristics, LI-RADS classifications and confidence scores according to two radiologists on the ASIR, DLR and MRI techniques were compared. If the patient had at least one lesion, he was included in the HCC group, otherwise in the non-HCC group. MRI being the technique with the best sensitivity, concordance of lesions characteristics and LI-RADS classifications were calculated by weighted kappa between the ASIR and MRI and between the DLR and MRI. The confidence scores are expressed as the means and standard deviations.

RESULTS

Eighty-nine patients were enrolled, 52 in the HCC group (67 years ± 9 [mean ± SD], 46 men) and 37 in the non-HCC group (68 years ± 9, 33 men). The concordance coefficient between the LI-RADS classification by ASIR and MRI was 0.64 [0.52; 0.76], showing good agreement, that by DLR and MRI was 0.83 [0.73; 0.92], showing excellent agreement. The diagnostic confidence in ASIR was 3.31 ± 0.95 (mean ± SD) and 3.0 ± 1.11, that in the DLR was 3.9 ± 0.88 and 4.11 ± 0.75, that in the MRI was 4.46 ± 0.80 and 4.57 ± 0.80.

CONCLUSION

DLR provided excellent LI-RADS classification concordance with MRI, whereas ASIR provided good concordance. The radiologists' confidence was greater in the DLR than in the ASIR but remained highest in the MR group.

KEY POINTS

Question Does the use of deep learning reconstructions (DLR) improve LI-RADS classification of suspicious hepatocellular carcinoma lesions compared to adaptive statistical iterative reconstructions (ASIR)? Findings DLR demonstrated superior concordance of LI-RADS classification with MRI compared to ASIR. It also provided greater diagnostic confidence than ASIR. Clinical relevance The use of DLR enhances radiologists' ability to visualize and characterize lesions suspected of being HCC, as well as their LI-RADS classification. Moreover, it also boosts their confidence in interpreting these images.