Ultrasonographic diagnosis of splenic artery steal syndrome after liver transplantation / 器官移植

ABSTRACT

Objective To evaluate the value of ultrasonography in the diagnosis of splenic artery steal syndrome (SASS ) after liver transplantation. Methods Routine ultrasonography and contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS)were performed in 10 cases with SASS (SASS group)and 8 cases of control patients with normal liver function after liver transplantation. The ultrasonographic findings of SASS were summed up. The diagnostic efficacy of CEUS was compared with that of digital subtraction angiography (DSA). Results In the SASS group,2D ultrasonography showed that the hepatic parenchyma was normal or there were some tiny necrosis foci in it,and color Doppler flow imaging (CDFI)showed that the blood flow signal of the hepatic artery was sparse or punctiform. CEUS showed the delayed and weak contrast-enhanced signals in hepatic artery after transplantation. The internal diameter of the splenic artery increased while that of the hepatic artery decreased. There was no significant difference between CEUS and DSA. Conclusions The routine ultrasonography and CEUS have a high value on the detection of suspected abnormal vascular system of transplant liver after liver transplantation as the noninvasive diagnostic tools.