title: 3D CT modeling of hepatic vessel architecture and volume calculation in living donated liver transplantation.
abstract: The aim of this study was to evaluate a software tool for non-invasive preoperative volumetric assessment of potential donors in living donated liver transplantation (LDLT). Biphasic helical CT was performed in 56 potential donors. Data sets were post-processed using a non-commercial software tool for segmentation, volumetric analysis and visualisation of liver segments. Semi-automatic definition of liver margins allowed the segmentation of parenchyma. Hepatic vessels were delineated using a region-growing algorithm with automatically determined thresholds. Volumes and shapes of liver segments were calculated automatically based on individual portal-venous branches. Results were visualised three-dimensionally and statistically compared with conventional volumetry and the intraoperative findings in 27 transplanted cases. Image processing was easy to perform within 23 min. Of the 56 potential donors, 27 were excluded from LDLT because of inappropriate liver parenchyma or vascular architecture. Two recipients were not transplanted due to poor clinical conditions. In the 27 transplanted cases, preoperatively visualised vessels were confirmed, and only one undetected accessory hepatic vein was revealed. Calculated graft volumes were 1110 +/- 180 ml for right lobes, 820 ml for the left lobe and 270 +/- 30 ml for segments II+III. The calculated volumes and intraoperatively measured graft volumes correlated significantly. No significant differences between the presented automatic volumetry and the conventional volumetry were observed. A novel image processing technique was evaluated which allows a semi-automatic volume calculation and 3D visualisation of the different liver segments.
authors.affiliation: Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, Diagnostische Radiologie, Hannover, Germany. bernd.frericks@ukbf.fu-berlin.de
authors.forename: Bernd B
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: Frericks
authors.forename: Franco C
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Caldarone
authors.forename: Björn
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Nashan
authors.forename: Dagmar Högemann
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Savellano
authors.forename: Georg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Stamm
authors.forename: Timm D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Kirchhoff
authors.forename: Hoen-Oh
authors.initials: HO
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schenk
authors.forename: Dirk
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Selle
authors.forename: Wolf
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Spindler
authors.forename: Jürgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Klempnauer
authors.forename: Heinz-Otto
authors.initials: HO
authors.lastname: Peitgen
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Galanski
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001012:Aorta, Abdominal / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002445:Celiac Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005260:Female; D006499:Hepatic Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008099:Liver / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D019520:Living Donors; D008297:Male; D008432:Mathematical Computing; D017538:Mesenteric Artery, Superior / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008875:Middle Aged; D011300:Preoperative Care; D011856:Radiographic Image Enhancement; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D036542:Tomography, Spiral Computed