MRI in addition to CT in patients scheduled for local therapy of colorectal liver metastases (CAMINO): an international, multicenter, prospective, diagnostic accuracy trial

Guidelines are unclear on whether to routinely add contrast-enhanced MRI to CT for investigating colorectal liver metastases in patients scheduled for curative resection or thermal ablation. This study assessed the clinical impact of adding contrast-enhanced MRI to CT for patients with colorectal liver metastases eligible for local treatment. Between December 2019 and July 2021, 298 patients were included in the study, all initially planned for local therapy based on contrast-enhanced CT.

The study found that adding liver contrast-enhanced MRI led to changes in treatment plans for 31% of patients (Table 1). Specifically, 13% required more extensive local therapy, 4% required less extensive therapy, and 11% had their curative-intent therapy revoked due to findings such as extensive disease or benign lesions. These changes underscore the clinical utility of contrast-enhanced MRI over CT alone in accurately guiding treatment decisions for patients with colorectal liver metastases.