Practice changing RCT design and rationale: Abbreviated MRI plus AFP <i>vs.</i> ultrasound plus AFP for HCC surveillance in cirrhosis (PREMIUM study).

ABSTRACT: Abdominal ultrasound every 6 months with or without serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) is recommended for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) screening in patients with cirrhosis. However, high-quality evidence demonstrating that this screening strategy reduces HCC-related mortality in cirrhosis is lacking. Dynamic contrast-enhanced abbreviated MRI (DCE aMRI) protocols for HCC screening have nearly identical performance to full multiphasic MRI (the gold standard for HCC diagnosis) and can be completed in under 15 min. PREMIUM is a multicentre randomised controlled trial comparing HCC screening by ultrasound+AFP every 6 months vs. DCE aMRI+AFP every 6 months for up to 8 years among patients with cirrhosis. Sponsored by and executed within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), participant re

SUBMITTER: Ioannou GN 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12857331 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature