Noncontrast Magnetic Resonance Angiography Using Inflow Sensitive Inversion Recovery Technique for Vascular Evaluation in Pre-liver Transplantation Recipients.
OBJECTIVE
Vascular anatomy is essential in pretransplantation survey. The purpose of this study is to investigate the feasibility and diagnostic performance of inflow sensitive inversion recovery (IFIR) magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) to evaluate the recipient's hepatic vasculature before liver transplantation.


METHODS
Thirty-one pre-liver transplantation patients underwent both IFIR and conventional contrast-enhanced MRA using a 1.5T MR scanner from December 2012 to December 2014. The contrast-to-noise ratios (CNRs) between liver parenchyma and hepatic vasculature were calculated. The image sets of IFIR and contrast-enhanced MRA were assessed for subjective image quality and depiction of hepatic vasculature on vessel-to-vessel basis by two independent radiologists.


RESULTS
The quantitative results of CNR for hepatic arteries on IFIR were significantly lower than contrast-enhanced MRA, whereas CNR for portal veins and inferior vena cava on IFIR were significantly higher than contrast-enhanced MRA. For subjective assessment of image quality, the overall agreement of scores of IFIR and contrast-enhanced MRA was substantial (kappa values ranged from 0.650 to 0.767). There was no significant difference in the image quality for portal veins between IFIR and contrast-enhanced MRA. The quality scores of IFIR were significantly lower than contrast-enhanced MRA for hepatic arteries. For inferior vena cava evaluation, the scores of IFIR were significantly higher than contrast-enhanced MRA.


CONCLUSIONS
IFIR MRA is a reproducible and noninvasive tool to assess the hepatic vasculature that can provide adequate to good image quality. In pre-liver transplantation patients, IFIR MRA becomes even more useful if contrast medium is a contraindication due to impaired renal and liver functions.
Liver Transplantation Program, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
W-T
WT
Chen
Liver Transplantation Program, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
J-L
JL
Liang
Liver Transplantation Program, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
M-H
MH
Chen
Liver Transplantation Program, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
C-C
CC
Liao
Liver Transplantation Program, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
T-L
TL
Huang
Liver Transplantation Program, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
T-Y
TY
Chen
Liver Transplantation Program, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
L L-C
LL
Tsang
Liver Transplantation Program, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
H-Y
HY
Ou
Liver Transplantation Program, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
H-W
HW
Hsu
Liver Transplantation Program, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
M Z
MZ
Lazo
Liver Transplantation Program, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Department of Surgery, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
C-L
CL
Chen
Liver Transplantation Program, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Electronic address: cheng.yufan@msa.hinet.net.
Y-F
YF
Cheng
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003287:Contrast Media; D046148:Donor Selection / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006499:Hepatic Artery / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000098:blood supply; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011169:Portal Vein / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D011300:Preoperative Care / Q000379:methods; D059629:Signal-To-Noise Ratio
D003287:Contrast Media