title: Effect of splenic artery embolization for splenic artery steal syndrome in liver transplant recipients: estimation at computed tomography based on changes in caliber of related arteries.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To estimate the effect of splenic artery embolization (SAE) on blood flow in orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) recipients with splenic artery steal syndrome (SASS) based on changes in caliber of related arteries upon serial computed tomography (CT) scans.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between 2004 and 2007, nine OLT recipients with SASS underwent SAE. They had CT scans before and after SAE: short-, mid-, and long-term, ie, approximately 1 week, 1 month, and 1 year, respectively. The diameters of the celiac axis (CA), common hepatic artery (CHA), and splenic artery (SA) were measured with arterial phase of each CT scan and the ratios of SA to CHA diameter (SA/CHA) calculated to analyze their changes during the follow-up period.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The diameters of celiac axis, CHA, and SA and SA/CHA changed most rapidly during the short-term period. The CHA diameter significantly increased short-term post-SAE by CT and slightly decreased thereafter. However, the mid-term and long-term post-SAE CT values were still significantly greater than those on the pre-SAE CT. The SA diameter steadily decreased throughout the follow-up. The SA/CHA decreased until the mid-term. The SA diameter and SA/CHA were significantly smaller upon mid-term and long-term post-SAE CT compared with those at pre-SAE CT.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The effect of SAE to improve hepatic arterial flow in OLT recipients with SASS might be expected for at least approximately one year. The effect maximally occurred during the short-term after SAE on the basis of changes in the caliber of related arteries upon CT.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Radiology and Research Institute of Radiology, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: K W
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: D I
authors.initials: DI
authors.lastname: Gwon
authors.forename: G Y
authors.initials: GY
authors.lastname: Ko
authors.forename: K B
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Sung
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Y M
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: G-W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.forename: S G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D001157:Arterial Occlusive Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D021721:Balloon Occlusion; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D019520:Living Donors; D008875:Middle Aged; D013157:Splenic Artery / Q000473:pathology*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed