Gadobenate dimeglumine-enhanced liver MRI as the sole preoperative imaging technique: a prospective study of living liver donors.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of our study was to determine whether gadobenate dimeglumine-enhanced MRI is practical as the sole preoperative imaging technique for the examination of living liver donors.


METHODS
Forty-four consecutive living donor candidates underwent liver MRI on a 1.5-T MR unit. The MR examination included in- and opposed-phase T1-weighted gradient-echo imaging, T2-weighted MR cholangiography, MR angiography (MRA) and parenchymal phase imaging after the administration of gadobenate dimeglumine, and 60-minute delayed T1-weighted MR cholangiography. Two abdominal radiologists analyzed the images regarding the depiction of the biliary duct anatomy and the hepatic vascular anatomy and for the presence of focal or diffuse liver disease. The findings were compared with intraoperative cholangiographic and surgical findings in 24 patients who underwent partial hepatectomy.


RESULTS
In the 24 patients who underwent liver harvesting, 10 had biliary anatomic variants confirmed by intraoperative cholangiography. T2-weighted MR cholangiography allowed a correct diagnosis in 75% (n = 18/24) and T1-weighted MR cholangiography in 79% (n = 19/24) of these patients. When we evaluated the bile duct anatomy using the combined findings of T2- and T1-weighted MR cholangiographic images, the diagnostic accuracy increased to 92% (n = 22/24), but the difference was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). MRA showed a diagnostic accuracy of 79% (n = 19/24) for the hepatic arterial anatomy, 100% (n = 24/24) for the portal venous anatomy, and 96% (n = 23/24) for the hepatic venous anatomy.


CONCLUSIONS
Gadobenate dimeglumine-enhanced MRI allows comprehensive assessment of the biliary and hepatic vascular systems and the hepatic parenchyma and can serve as the sole preoperative imaging test for living liver donor candidates.
An
Su Kyung
SK
Department of Radiology and Institute of Radiation Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, 28, Yongon-dong, Chongno-gu, Seoul 110-744, South Korea.
Lee
Jeong Min
JM
Suh
Kyung-Suk
KS
Lee
Nam Jun
NJ
Kim
Se Hyung
SH
Kim
Young Joon
YJ
Han
Joon Koo
JK
Choi
Buyng Ihn
BI
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001659:Biliary Tract / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000473:pathology; D001660:Biliary Tract Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D003287:Contrast Media; D005260:Female; D006498:Hepatectomy; D006499:Hepatic Artery / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000473:pathology*; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D019520:Living Donors; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008536:Meglumine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D011859:Radiography; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
D003287:Contrast Media; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; C064572:gadobenic acid; D008536:Meglumine