Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and MR angiography for evaluation and follow-up of hepatic artery banding in patients with hepatic involvement of hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia.
BACKGROUND
We describe findings obtained by magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for evaluation and follow-up after hepatic artery banding in patients with hepatic involvement of hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT).


METHODS
Abdominal MRA and liver MRI were performed in three patients with HHT as clinically defined by Curacao criteria. One patient underwent MRA and MRI twice for preinterventional evaluation and follow-up, one patient for preinterventional evaluation, and one patient for postinterventional evaluation. Hepatic vascular involvement of the disease and postinterventional vascular anatomy were evaluated by two radiologists by consensus.


RESULTS
Hepatic vascular involvement with perfusion disorders and arteriosystemic shunts was found in all three patients. MRA and MRI allowed diagnostic characterization of hepatic vascular disease (three of three), preinterventional evaluation of complex vascular anatomy and variants (two of two), and postinterventional follow-up of hepatic artery banding (two of two).


CONCLUSIONS
In preinterventional evaluation and postinterventional follow-up, MRA and MRI allows characterization of complex hepatic vascular alterations of HHT and, hence, is an alternative to other imaging modalities in the diagnosis, clinical decision making, and follow-up of HHT.
Willinek
W A
WA
Department of Radiology, University of Bonn, Sigmund-Freud-Strasse 25, D-53105 Bonn, Germany. winfried.willinek@ukb.uni-bonn.de
Hadizadeh
D
D
von Falkenhausen
M
M
Koscielny
A
A
Wolff
M
M
Schepke
M
M
Schild
H H
HH
Strunk
H
H
D000368:Aged; D003287:Contrast Media; D005260:Female; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA; D006499:Hepatic Artery / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008026:Ligation; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography / Q000379:methods*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D013683:Telangiectasia, Hereditary Hemorrhagic / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D003287:Contrast Media; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA