ACR launches LI-RADS committee
The American College of Radiology (ACR) has created a Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System (LI-RADS) committee with the objective of standardizing reporting and data collection for CT and MR imaging surveillance for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
According to the ACR, the committee will:
“The purpose of the LI-RADS categories is to allow both community and academic radiologists to use terminology that is consistent between centers throughout the country. LI-RADS categories may be used in the development of imaging guidelines and triage for treatment options,” said Claude Sirlin, MD, chair of the ACR LI-RADS committee.
According to the ACR, the committee will:
- Specify minimum acceptable technical parameters for CT and MRI surveillance procedures, which will reduce the number of technically inadequate exams.
- Create a standard vocabulary of CT and MR terms that will improve communication with clinicians, facilitate analysis of published manuscripts and reduce the variability in lesion interpretation.
- Standardize report structure and content, thereby reducing the number of omissions from CT and MR reports.
- Produce a formal data collection system that will facilitate outcome monitoring, quality assurance and research.
“The purpose of the LI-RADS categories is to allow both community and academic radiologists to use terminology that is consistent between centers throughout the country. LI-RADS categories may be used in the development of imaging guidelines and triage for treatment options,” said Claude Sirlin, MD, chair of the ACR LI-RADS committee.