Abstract: Hepatocellular carcinoma is one of the most common malignant tumors in the human body. The early diagnosis of liver cancer, especially the diagnosis and timely treatment of early hepatocellular carcinoma (eHCC) is the key to prolong the survival of patients. In recent years, with the continuous progress of imaging technology, the detection rate of eHCC has been increasing year by year, but there is no unified standard for the imaging diagnosis of eHCC at home and abroad. In order to improve the early clinical recognition and compliance of imaging with pathological diagnosis, Radiology of Infection Sub-branch, Radiology Branch, Chinese Medical Association and Radiology Committee on Infectious and Inflammatory Disease, Chinese Research Hospital Association and other academic groups organized more than 40 relevant experts from all over the country to jointly issue the Consensus on imaging techniques and diagnostic criteria for hepatitis B virus related early hepatocellular carcinoma(here in after referred to as "the Consensus"). This paper reviews the Consensus based on relevant research progress, covering imaging examination methods, imaging manifestations, imaging diagnostic criteria for eHCC, consensus on relevant hot issues and differential diagnosis, with the aim of improving the understanding of relevant professional physicians about this disease.

Key words: Early hepatocellular carcinoma, Hepatitis B virus, Consensus interpretation, Standard