Role of imaging in clinical islet transplantation.
Islet transplantation is an innovative and effective clinical strategy for patients with type 1 diabetes whose clinical condition is inadequately managed even with the most aggressive medical treatment regimens. In islet transplantation, purified islets extracted from the pancreas of deceased donors are infused into the portal vein of the recipient liver. Engrafted islets produce insulin and thus restore euglycemia in many patients. After islet transplantation performed with the original Edmonton protocol, 80% of patients were insulin independent at 1 year and approximately 20% were insulin independent at 5 years. With more recent technical advances, 50% of patients or more maintain insulin independence 5 years after islet transplantation. The success rate with single-donor islet infusions has markedly improved over time. Even in patients who lose insulin independence, islet transplantation is considered successful because it provides improved glycemic control and a higher quality of life. Imaging plays an important role in islet transplantation and is routinely used to evaluate potential recipients, guide the transplantation process, and monitor patients for posttransplantation complications. Because of the success of islet transplantation and its increasing availability worldwide, familiarity with the role of imaging is important.
Department of Radiology and Diagnostic Imaging and Department of Surgery, University of Alberta Hospital, 2A2.41 Walter Mackenzie Center, 8440-112 Street, Edmonton, AB, Canada T6G2B7. timgy@yahoo.com
Gavin
G
Low
Nassrein
N
Hussein
Richard J T
RJ
Owen
Christian
C
Toso
Vimal H
VH
Patel
Ravi
R
Bhargava
A M James
AM
Shapiro
D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery*; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D016381:Islets of Langerhans Transplantation / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000379:methods*; D011859:Radiography; D025321:Surgery, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*