Post-operative Imaging of Living Related Liver Transplantation in Pediatric Patients

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the findings and significance of postoperative imaging after living related liver transplantation (LRLT) in pediatric patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed all imaging findings, including those of post-LRLT ultra-sonography (US) and computed tomography (CT), in 20 children who had undergone LRLT at our institute. RESULTS: Postoperative findings on US and CT were perihepatic or subcapsular fluid collection (60%), periportal edema (35%), anastomotic narrowing of the IVC (10%), biliary stricture (5%), and focal hepatic infarction (5%). Liver biopsy was performed in nine patients in whom rejection was clinically suspected, and pathologic examination revealed acute rejection in five. US and CT revealed perihepatic fluid collection in one of these, periportal edema and fluid collection in two, and normal findings in two. CONCLUSION: An understanding of the various postoperative findings after LRLT is helpful for accurate diagnosis and appropriate decisions regarding the preservation of normal graft function.