Diagnostic performance of LI-RADS for MRI and CT detection of HCC: A systematic review and diagnostic meta-analysis

•LI-RADS ≥3 showed an excellent diagnostic performance for HCC with the pooled sensitivity of 86 % and specificity of 85 %.•LI-RADS ≥5 shows significantly better specificity in the diagnosis of HCC compared to LI-RADS ≥3 and ≥4.•The diagnostic value of LI-RADS ≥3 for evaluation of small HCCs (≤ 20 mm) needs to be elucidated. To perform a meta-analysis evaluating the diagnostic accuracy of the Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System (LI-RADS) category ≥ 3 (LI-RADS 3−5v) for detecting hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). A systematic PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science electronic database search was performed for original diagnostic studies published through July 31, 2018. Statistical analysis included data pooling, forest plot construction, heterogeneity testing, meta-regression, and subgroup analyses. Eighteen studies (v2011, v2014 and v2017) involving 3386 patients were included in the meta-analysis. The pooled sensitivity and specificity of LI-RADS ≥ 3 for diagnosing HCC were 0.86 (95 % confidence interval (CI): 0.78−0.91) and 0.85 (95 % CI: 0.78−0.90), respectively. The area under the curve (AUC) was 0.92 (95 % CI: 0.89−0.94). Meta-regression analysis showed that the publication year, blinding to the reference standard and the number of readers were significant factors affecting heterogeneity. In subgroup analyses, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) demonstrated higher sensitivity (0.82 vs. 0.73) and comparable specificity (0.79 vs. 0.78) than computed tomography (CT). For HCCs ≤30 mm, LI-RADS showed lower sensitivity of 0.72 and specificity of 0.80 compared with HCC of all sizes. LR-5 showed higher sensitivity and specificity than LR-3 (sensitivity: 0.67 vs. 0.07, P = 0.02; specificity: 0.93 vs. 0.75, p