###### Abstract  
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most prevalent form of liver cancer, represents a significant global health challenge due to its rising incidence, complex management, as well as recurrence rates of up to 70% or more. Early and accurate imaging diagnosis, through modalities such as ultrasound, CT, and MRI, is crucial for effective treatment. Minimally invasive therapies, including thermal ablation methods such as radiofrequency ablation, microwave ablation, laser ablation, high-intensity focused ultrasound, and cryoablation, as well as non-thermal methods like percutaneous ethanol injection and irreversible electroporation, have shown promise in treating early and intermediate stages of HCC. Some studies have reported complete response in more than 90% of nodules and survival rates of up to 60-85% at 5 years after the procedure. These therapies are increasingly employed and induce specific morphological and physiological changes in the tumor and surrounding liver tissue, which are critical to monitor for assessing treatment efficacy and detecting recurrence. This review highlights the imaging characteristics of HCC following non-surgical treatments, focusing on the common features, challenges in post-treatment evaluation, and the importance of standardized imaging protocols such as the Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System. Understanding these imaging features is essential for radiologists to accurately assess tumor viability and guide further therapeutic decisions, ultimately improving patient outcomes.  
hepatocellular carcinoma; magnetic resonance imaging; diagnosis; follow-up; minimally invasive treatment; morphological features; tumor recurrence; tumor viability 2020 202  
groups are available to assist the radiologist in improving the diagnosis rate and staging accuracy and are updated every few years, with new recommendations made available in 2024 [9; 10; 11].  
The Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System (LI-RADS) is designed to standardize image reporting of HCC nodules, and the 2018 version includes a section on reporting treated HCC, named LI-RADS treatment response (LR-TR) [12]. This includes definitions and precise instructions for size and enhancement measurements of the nodules and the tumor viable tissue, if present. However, the minimally invasive treatment can induce local morphological changes specific to the method, that may represent a challenge for the radiologist in correctly assessing tumor tissue viability.  
In terms of HCC management, the Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) prognosis and treatment strategy is one of the most commonly referred to guides for clinical practice and therapeutic decision-making [13]. As per the 2022 BCLC strategy, minimally invasive treatment is recommended for intermediate-stage patients as well as some early-stage cases. There are multiple therapeutic options classified as minimally invasive, each with specific indications and recommendations [14]. Patients undergoing these treatments will be routinely monitored for tumor viability and recurrence, and since local therapies can induce morphological changes to the adjacent tissues, correctly identifying viability may prove challenging [15].  
The purpose of this review is to highlight the most common imaging features of HCC nodules after minimally invasive procedures and to draw attention to critical aspects that may require additional diagnostics steps or close surveillance.