title: Multirow CT in the follow-up of pancreas transplantation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Isolated pancreas or combined kidney-pancreas transplantation represents the only therapeutic weapon for complete resolution of type I diabetes mellitus. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the role of multirow CT in the follow-up of these patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty patients who underwent isolated (n = 13) or combined kidney-pancreas (n = 17) transplantation, using systemic-bladder (n = 7) or enteric-portal (n = 23) drainage, were evaluated with multirow CT (Light Speed Plus, GE Medical System). The CT study included unenhanced, arterial, and portal phases of the isolated pancreas, and a urographic phase for combined kidney-pancreas transplants. The acquisition was done with 1.25-mm collimation, 0.6-mm reconstruction interval, and a pitch of 6. A CT scan of the thorax was included if patients were suspected to have pulmonary complications.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In all cases it was possible to recognize the surgical technique performed for endocrine and exocrine pancreatic drainage, to evaluate the transplanted pancreas, and to identify possible complications. For example, CT identified thrombosis or stenosis of the arterial graft, partial thrombosis of the venous graft, ectasia of the common iliac artery and arterial graft, dehiscence of the duodenal-bladder anastomosis, infected abdominal collections, thrombosis of the internal iliac vein, and pulmonary infections.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Because multirow CT detects complications it is useful to follow isolated pancreas or combined kidney-pancreas transplants.
authors.affiliation: Division of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy. neri@med.unipi.it
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Neri
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cappelli
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Boggi
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Salvatori
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Vistoli
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Del Chiaro
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Coletti
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mosca
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bartolozzi
mesh_terms: D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000601:surgery; D003928:Diabetic Nephropathies / Q000601:surgery; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000379:methods / Q000502:physiology; D010179:Pancreas / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D016035:Pancreas Transplantation / Q000379:methods / Q000502:physiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*