• Burak Görgec, Ingrid S Hansen, Gunter Kemmerich, Trygve Syversveen, Mohammed Abu Hilal, BeltEric J TEJTDepartment of Surgery, Albert Schweitzer Hospital, Dordrecht, Netherlands., Koop Bosscha, Mark C Burgmans, Vincent C Cappendijk, Mathieu D'Hondt, Bjørn Edwin, Arian R van Erkel, Hugo A J Gielkens, Dirk J Grünhagen, Paul D Gobardhan, Henk H Hartgrink, Karin Horsthuis, Elisabeth G Klompenhouwer, KokNiels F MNFMDepartment of Surgery, Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, Netherlands., Peter A M Kint, Koert Kuhlmann, Wouter K G Leclercq, Daan J Lips, Bart Lutin, Monique Maas, Hendrik A Marsman, Martijn Meijerink, Yannick Meyer, Mario Morone, Jan Peringa, Jasper P Sijberden, Otto M van Delden, Janneke E van den Bergh, Inge J S Vanhooymissen, Maarten Vermaas, François E J A Willemssen, DijkgraafMarcel G WMGWDepartment of Epidemiology and Data Science, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands; Amsterdam Public Health, Methodology, Amsterdam, Netherlands., Patrick M Bossuyt, Rutger-Jan Swijnenburg, Åsmund A Fretland, Cornelis Verhoef, Marc G Besselink, Jaap Stoker, and CAMINO Study Group.
• Department of Surgery, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands; Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands; Cancer Centre Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
• Lancet Oncol. 2024 Jan 1; 25 (1): 137146137-146.

BackgroundGuidelines are inconclusive on whether contrast-enhanced MRI using gadoxetic acid and diffusion-weighted imaging should be added routinely to CT in the investigation of patients with colorectal liver metastases who are scheduled for curative liver resection or thermal ablation, or both. Although contrast-enhanced MRI is reportedly superior than contrast-enhanced CT in the detection and characterisation of colorectal liver metastases, its effect on clinical patient management is unknown. We aimed to assess the clinical effect of an additional liver contrast-enhanced MRI on local treatment plan in patients with colorectal liver metastases amenable to local treatment, based on contrast-enhanced CT.MethodsWe did an international, multicentre, prospective, incremental diagnostic accuracy trial in 14 liver surgery centres in the Netherlands, Belgium, Norway, and Italy. Participants were aged 18 years or older with histological proof of colorectal cancer, a WHO performance status score of 0-4, and primary or recurrent colorectal liver metastases, who were scheduled for local therapy based on contrast-enhanced CT. All patients had contrast-enhanced CT and liver contrast-enhanced MRI including diffusion-weighted imaging and gadoxetic acid as a contrast agent before undergoing local therapy. The primary outcome was change in the local clinical treatment plan (decided by the individual clinics) on the basis of liver contrast-enhanced MRI findings, analysed in the intention-to-image population. The minimal clinically important difference in the proportion of patients who would have change in their local treatment plan due to an additional liver contrast-enhanced MRI was 10%. This study is closed and registered in the Netherlands Trial Register, NL8039.FindingsBetween Dec 17, 2019, and July 31, 2021, 325 patients with colorectal liver metastases were assessed for eligibility. 298 patients were enrolled and included in the intention-to-treat population, including 177 males (59%) and 121 females (41%) with planned local therapy based on contrast-enhanced CT. A change in the local treatment plan based on liver contrast-enhanced MRI findings was observed in 92 (31%; 95% CI 26-36) of 298 patients. Changes were made for 40 patients (13%) requiring more extensive local therapy, 11 patients (4%) requiring less extensive local therapy, and 34 patients (11%) in whom the indication for curative-intent local therapy was revoked, including 26 patients (9%) with too extensive disease and eight patients (3%) with benign lesions on liver contrast-enhanced MRI (confirmed by a median follow-up of 21·0 months [IQR 17·5-24·0]).InterpretationLiver contrast-enhanced MRI should be considered in all patients scheduled for local treatment for colorectal liver metastases on the basis of contrast-enhanced CT imaging.FundingThe Dutch Cancer Society and Bayer AG - Pharmaceuticals.Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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