title: Imaging evaluation of the liver using multi-detector row computed tomography in micropigs as potential living liver donors.
abstract: The shortage of organ donors has stimulated interest in the possibility of using animal organs for transplantation into humans. In addition, pigs are now considered to be the most likely source animals for human xenotransplantation because of their advantages over non-human primates. However, the appropriate standard values for estimations of the liver of micropigs have not been established. The determination of standard values for the micropig liver using multi-detector row computed tomography (MDCT) would help to select a suitable donor for an individual patient, determine the condition of the liver of the micropigs and help predict patient prognosis. Therefore, we determined the standard values for the livers of micropigs using MDCT. The liver parenchyma showed homogenous enhancement and had no space-occupying lesions. The total and right lobe volumes of the liver were 698.57 +/- 47.81 ml and 420.14 +/- 26.70 ml, which are 51.74% and 49.35% of the human liver volume, respectively. In micropigs, the percentage of liver volume to body weight was approximately 2.05%. The diameters of the common hepatic artery and proper hepatic artery were 6.24 +/- 0.20 mm and 4.68 +/- 0.13 mm, respectively. The hepatic vascular system of the micropigs was similar to that of humans, except for the variation in the length of the proper hepatic artery. In addition, the diameter of the portal vein was 11.27 +/- 0.38 mm. In conclusion, imaging evaluation using the MDCT was a reliable method for liver evaluation and its vascular anatomy for xenotransplantation using micropigs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Physiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Biotherapy Human Resources Center (BK21), Chonnam National University, Gwangju, Korea.
authors.forename: Jung Min
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Ryu
authors.forename: Dong Hyun
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Min Young
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Sang Hun
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jae Hong
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Seung Pil
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Yun
authors.forename: Min Woo
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Jang
authors.forename: Seong Hwan
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Gyu Jin
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Rho
authors.forename: Ho Jae
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Han
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D006499:Hepatic Artery / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D008099:Liver / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000098:blood supply; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D019520:Living Donors; D008297:Male; D011169:Portal Vein / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D013552:Swine; D013556:Swine, Miniature / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D014183:Transplantation, Heterologous / Q000379:methods*