Abbreviated MRI for Hepatocellular Carcinoma Surveillance – A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Background

Given the limited sensitivity of ultrasound in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) surveillance, this systematic review and meta-analysis were aimed to assess the diagnostic performance of non-contrast abbreviated MRI (NC-aMRI) compared to contrast-enhanced abbreviated MRI (CE-aMRI) for HCC surveillance, offering evidence-based guidance for clinical decision-making.

Methods

A comprehensive search was conducted across five databases, identifying studies on aMRI for HCC surveillance. The pooled sensitivity and specificity were estimated using a random effects model. Subgroup analyses and meta-regression were performed by study location, proportion of patients with cirrhosis and HCC, and underlying liver diseases.

Results

The meta-analysis included 27 studies (2009–2023), distributed between Western (n = 14) and Eastern (n = 13) countries. The pooled sensitivity and specificity (95%CI, I²) were 86% (83–88%, 63%) and 92% (90%–94%, 74%). The NC-aMRI protocols reported in 21 studies exhibited 83% (79–87%, 63%) sensitivity and 91% (88–93%, 67%) specificity, while the 15 studies on CE-aMRI protocols displayed 88% (84–91%, 64%) sensitivity and 94% (90–96%, 78%) specificity, with no statistically significant differences in sensitivity (p = 0.078) or specificity (p = 0.157). Subgroup analysis in NC-aMRI studies showed significant differences in sensitivity for high-prevalent chronic hepatitis B (87% vs. 78%, p = 0.003) and studies done in eastern countries (86% vs. 76%, p = 0.018). Additionally, specificity showed significant differences for high-prevalent chronic hepatitis C (94% vs. 90%, p = 0.009), with meta-regression identifying major sources of study heterogeneity as the inclusion of a majority of patients with chronic hepatitis B (p = 0.008) and the geographic regions where studies were conducted (p = 0.030).

Conclusion

Surveillance aMRI protocols exhibit satisfactory performance for detecting HCC. NC-aMRI may be used effectively for HCC surveillance, especially in chronic hepatitis B prevalent settings.