Magnetic resonance imaging for the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma in adults with chronic liver disease

Objectives: This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (diagnostic). The objectives are as follows:. To assess the diagnostic accuracy of magnetic resonance imaging for the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma of any size and at any stage in people with chronic liver disease. Secondary objectives To assess the diagnostic accuracy of MRI for the diagnosis of resectable HCC in adults with chronic liver disease. To identify potential sources of heterogeneity, we plan to investigate the effects of the following variables: study date; inclusion of people without cirrhosis; study location (population differences); participant selection; different HCC stages; different reference standards; different liver cirrhosis aetiologies; differences in prior testing; predefinition of magnetic resonance (MR) positivity criteria; and type of contrast media (see Investigations of heterogeneity).