LI-RADS: Meaning in a Radiology Report

LI-RADS

Also written as: Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System, LR category

LI-RADS is a scoring system for liver spots in people at high risk of liver cancer, from LR-1 (definitely benign) to LR-5 (definitely cancer).

Seen on: CT, MRI, Ultrasound

How it reads in a report

A 2.1 cm observation in segment VIII shows nonrim arterial phase hyperenhancement and nonperipheral washout, LI-RADS category 5.

What it means

LI-RADS stands for Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System. It is used only in people at high risk of hepatocellular carcinoma, the most common cancer that starts in the liver. That mainly means people with cirrhosis, chronic hepatitis B or a past liver cancer. Each spot, called an observation, gets a category based on its size, growth and how it takes up and washes out contrast. It is used mainly on CT and MRI; ultrasound has its own versions.

When it matters

LR-1 means definitely benign, LR-2 probably benign, LR-3 an intermediate chance of cancer, LR-4 probably liver cancer and LR-5 definitely liver cancer. LR-M means probably malignant but not typical of hepatocellular carcinoma, and LR-TIV means tumor in a vein. LR-3 is usually rechecked with imaging within a few months. LR-4, LR-5 and LR-M are usually reviewed by a liver team, and an LR-5 can be diagnosed as liver cancer without a biopsy.

Questions to ask your doctor

What category is each observation, and how big is it?
Is a biopsy needed, or is the imaging enough to decide?
When should my next liver scan be done?

General information, not medical advice. What a finding means for you depends on your symptoms, your history and the images themselves, so talk your results through with a doctor.