Evaluation of vascular complications after living donor liver transplantation with dynamic contrast-enhanced MR angiography / 中国医学影像技术

ABSTRACT

Objective To observe the value of dynamic contrast-enhanced MR angiography (DCE MRA) with gadobenate dimeglumine in evaluation of vascular complications after living donor liver transplantation. Methods Thirty-four consecutive patients were examined with MR after living donor liver transplantation. First, 1 ml gadobenate dimeglumine was injected in vein to infer the time of gadobenate dimeglumine reaching abdominal artery performing testbolus. Then a scan with three-dimensional T1-weighted fast low-angle shot (3D-FLASH) sequence was performed. Four phases in series from arterial period were scanned and every phase paused 10 s to obtain images of the arterial, portal venous and hepatic venous systems. The original and maximum intensity projection (MIP) reconstructed images, categorized vessel visualization on a five-point scale and observed stoma of hepatic artery, portal venous and hepatic venous inferior vena cava, diameter and display of surrounding vessels were observed. The results were compared with those of digital subtraction angiography (DSA), ultrasound and clinical data. Results Overall vessel visualization assessment demonstrated good or very good ratings for the majority of patients. Among all 34 patients, hepatic artery stenosis was found in 4, portal vein stenosis in 6, portal vein thrombosis was detected in 2, while middle hepatic veins stenosis was detected in 1 patient, among whom 10 patients were confirmed with DSA, 4 with surgery, the others with ultrasound or follow-up. Conclusion Gadobenate dimeglumine DCE MRA is a highly accurate, noninvasive tool for evaluation of vascular complications after living donor liver transplantation, may be regarded as the first choice in postoperative evaluation.