title: MRI for evaluation of potential living liver donors: a new approach including contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance cholangiography.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the feasibility of a comprehensive MRI protocol using intrabiliary contrast medium (gadolinium-EOB-DTPA) for evaluation of living liver donors.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this prospective study, 30 donor candidates for living-related liver transplantation (17 men; 13 women, mean age 37 ± 10.9 years) underwent MRI including MR-angiography (MRA) as well as a conventional T2-weighted MR-cholangiography (MRC) and a contrast-enhanced sequence for depiction of the biliary structures. MRC and MRA images were evaluated for quality on a four-point-scale (score of 0 indicated poor and a score of 3, excellent image quality). Anatomic variants of the arterial, venous, portal venous, and biliary structures were identified.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Image quality was diagnostic in all examinations except for 4 of 30 MRA data sets. Intrahepatic biliary structures, especially with regard to the intrahepatic bile ducts of 2nd and 3rd order could be identified with significantly increased image quality than in conventional T2-weighted MRC sequences (P = 0.005 and P = 0.035). A high percentage rate of anatomic variants regarding the biliary, arterial, venous, and portal venous anatomy was found.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This protocol allows the evaluation of liver donors especially with regard to the biliary structures. However, the depiction of the arterial anatomy requires further technical developments.
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Eberhard-Karls-University Tuebingen, Hoppe-Seyler-Strasse 3, 72076, Tuebingen, Germany. Stefanie.Mangold@med.uni-tuebingen.de
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mangold
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bretschneider
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fenchel
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Seeger
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Kramer
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Klumpp
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nadalin
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Königsrainer
authors.forename: C D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Claussen
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Miller
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D049448:Cholangiopancreatography, Magnetic Resonance; D003287:Contrast Media; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; D008099:Liver / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D019520:Living Donors; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; C073590:gadolinium ethoxybenzyl DTPA; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA