Summary: | Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most prevalent form of liver cancer with major risk factors being chronic liver disease (CLD) including chronic liver inflammation, steatohepatitis and certain viral infections (Hepatitis B and C). Due to the poor prognosis, early detection is key for effective management. Imaging of HCC has developed over the years with specificity as high as 95%. The Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System (LI-RADS) provides a standardized reporting format that can be followed by radiologists and clinicians alike. This article focuses on the pathological basis of imaging observations described in the LI-RADS lexicon. A clear understanding of the pathological basis of imaging will help the radiologist to be more confident to resolve unequivocal observations apart from achieving a high degree of specificity in the diagnosis of HCC.
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