The purpose of this multicenter pragmatic randomized controlled trial is to determine whether AI-assisted interpretation of multiphasic liver contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CE-CT) is non-inferior to standard radiology reporting with respect to missed clinically significant malignant focal liver lesions, \*\*with the non-inferiority margin prespecified in the statistical analysis plan before enrollment\*\*, and whether it improves lesion detection, diagnostic characterization, downstream clinical management, and reporting efficiency. On AI-assisted center-days, AI results will be revealed only after the first-line radiologist has saved an unaided initial assessment and may be used to revise the final report. On control center-days, examinations will be interpreted using the standard radiology workflow without access to AI tools.
Age range 18 years and above
Underwent dynamic contrast-enhanced abdominal CT examination with liver coverage
Imaging must include at least three required phases: non-contrast, arterial phase, and venous phase; a delayed phase is optional
Complete imaging data that meet AI system and radiologist interpretation requirements.
History of recent upper-abdominal surgery (within 30 days) or major hepatobiliary-pancreatic surgery affecting liver evaluation (e.g., liver transplantation or Whipple procedure); patients with prior simple cholecystectomy or single-lesion interventional procedures are not excluded
History of recent hepatic trauma (within 30 days)
Poor image quality or severe noise artifacts (e.g., metal or motion artifacts)
Missing required imaging phases (required at least non-contrast, arterial, and venous phases) or inadequate scan range (e.g., lower-abdomen CT such as pelvic or rectal scans not covering the liver)
Parallel
AI-assisted abdominal CE-CT reporting
Other interventionAfter the unaided initial assessment is saved, the locked AI system will display lesion localization, patient-level and lesion-level malignancy probabilities, prespecified lesion-class suggestions, and uncertainty or technical-failure warnings. The first-line radiologist may revise or retain the initial assessment and must record acceptance, rejection, or uncertainty for clinically important AI suggestions. The senior reviewer may view the initial assessment, AI output, and revision history. AI may not autonomously authorize reports, prescribe management, or communicate diagnoses directly to participants.
Standard abdominal CE-CT reporting without AI assistance
Other interventionEligible multiphasic abdominal CE-CT examinations will be interpreted and reported according to the site's standard radiology workflow, including routine senior review where applicable. AI system outputs will not be available to radiologists or clinical staff, and no AI-triggered safety-net review will be performed. Routine report addenda, urgent communication, multidisciplinary review, additional imaging, and subsequent clinical management will remain available according to standard clinical practice.
Per-participant rate of missed clinically significant liver malignancy
Proportion of all enrolled participants with at least one reference-standard-confirmed clinically significant liver malignancy, including hepatocellular carcinoma, liver metastasis, or another primary hepatic malignancy, that was not identified or appropriately characterized in the final index CE-CT report. The reference standard will comprise histopathology when available; otherwise, 12-month imaging and clinical follow-up and relevant record linkage, adjudicated by an independent committee masked to allocation. Non-inferiority will be assessed against a margin prespecified before enrollment.
Senior-review workload
Number of examinations requiring senior radiologist review per 100 eligible CE-CT examinations, compared between AI-assisted and standard-reporting center-days.
Final report turnaround time
Time in minutes from availability of the complete CE-CT examination for interpretation to authorization of the final clinical report.
Detection rate of clinically significant malignant liver lesions
Proportion of enrolled participants with a reference-standard-confirmed clinically significant malignant liver lesion identified in the final index CE-CT report. Results will be reported overall and for prespecified subgroups, including confirmed HCC smaller than 2 cm, BCLC stage 0 HCC, and liver metastases stratified by primary tumor site.
Clinically appropriate management-change rate
Proportion of participants with an independently adjudicated change in diagnostic evaluation, referral, biopsy, treatment, or surveillance attributable to the final index CE-CT report, including avoidance of unnecessary downstream work-up.
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