Hepatic arterial mapping by multidetector computed tomographic angiography in living donor liver transplantation.
OBJECTIVE
Our aims were to present the hepatic arterial variations that were detected with computed tomographic angiography (CTA) and confirmed by operation in living liver donors and to emphasize the usefulness of CTA in the assessment of hepatic arterial anatomy.


METHODS
The donors of 100 patients (46 women and 54 men) who had undergone a living donor liver transplantation in a (blinded) hospital between July 2004 and June 2007 were evaluated. The age of the donors ranged from 18 to 63 years (mean, 39 years). The CTA images obtained by a 16-slice multidetector CT before the transplantation procedure were retrospectively evaluated for arterial variations, and the results were compared with the results of the operation.


RESULTS
In 59 donors (59%), classic hepatic arterial anatomy was observed. In the remaining 41 donors (41%), various arterial variations were determined. In 11 of the donors (11%), variations were not compatible with the description of Michel's classification. In all of our patients, CTA findings were confirmed with operational findings. Our complication rate was 1%. Only 1 of the patients who had undergone the transplantation developed hepatic arterial thrombus, and the remaining 99 patients had no arterial complications.


CONCLUSIONS
The course of the vascular structures before live donor liver transplantation is essential for planning and success of the operation. Our study showed that multidetector CTA can be used successfully in hepatic artery imaging of liver transplantation donors as a noninvasive method.
Duran
Cihan
C
Department of Radiology, Florence Nightingale Hospital, Bilim University, Istanbul, Turkey.
Uraz
Suleyman
S
Kantarci
Mecit
M
Ozturk
Ersin
E
Doganay
Selim
S
Dayangac
Murat
M
Bozkurt
Mahmut
M
Yuzer
Yildiray
Y
Tokat
Yaman
Y
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003287:Contrast Media; D005260:Female; D006499:Hepatic Artery / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D007472:Iohexol; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D019520:Living Donors; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000517:prevention & control; D011856:Radiographic Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*; D014463:Ultrasonography; D055815:Young Adult
D003287:Contrast Media; D007472:Iohexol