title: [Clinical application of preoperative imaging evaluation in the anterolateral thigh flap transplantation: comparison of computed tomography angiography, digital subtract angiography and magnetic resonance angiography].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the value of three preoperative imaging methods in the anterolateral thigh flap (ALT) transplantation.
  
  
  METHODS
  According to preoperative imaging, patients who underwent the ALT flap transplantation were divided into three groups: computed tomography angiography (CTA) group, digital subtract angiography ( DSA) group and magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) group. There were fifteen cases in each group. We compared the imaging quality of the ALT artery among these groups and recorded the parameters of lateral femoral circumflex artery, descending branches and perforators including type, course and size. The results from images were compared with intraoperative findings. The success rate and complications were also recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The preoperative imaging accuracy of the types of the lateral femoral circumflex artery and descending branch was more than 92.3%, with no significant different between any two of three groups (P > 0.05). The difference in diameters of descending branches and perforators from preoperative measurement and from intraoperative measurement was also not significant between any two of the three groups; the success rate and complications were not also obviously different (P > 0.05 , P > 0.05, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Preoperative mapping using CTA, DSA and MRA is a feasible and reliable method for the flap design in ALT transplantation. As a preoperative evaluation means, CTA and MRA may replace DSA in the ALT transplantation.
authors.forename: Zhenhua
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Jianfeng
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Boyin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Wendong
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Fei
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pang
authors.forename: Ting
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yaping
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Deqing
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D015901:Angiography, Digital Subtraction / Q000379:methods; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005263:Femoral Artery / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography; D011300:Preoperative Care; D013524:Surgical Flaps / Q000637:transplantation*; D013848:Thigh; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed