P-31 NUCLEAR-MAGNETIC-RESONANCE EVALUATION OF RAT-LIVER PRESERVED IN UW SOLUTION

A persistent problem in orthotopic liver transplantation is primary no nfunction (PNF) of the hepatic allograft. In an attempt to reduce the incidence of graft failure, the feasibility of pretransplant assessmen t of graft viability was investigated by P-31 nuclear magnetic resonan ce (NMR) spectroscopy. The level of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) was m easured as an indicator of liver function by P-31 NMR spectroscopy aft er a 30 min normothermic reperfusion following cold-storage in Univers ity of Wisconsin (UW) solution The mean +/- SD beta-ATP/Pi ratio after preservation for 0, 12, 24 or 48 h was 1.40 +/- 0.34, 0.85 +/- 0.27, 0.64 +/- 0.14 and 0.38 +/- 0.09, respectively. Significance was observ ed between 12 h and 24 h and between 12 h and 48 h of preservation. Th ese results correlated well with the morphological changes in endothel ial cells and sinusoidal lining cells examined by transmission electro n microscopy. It is suggested strongly that microcirculatory disturban ces due to endothelial cell injury impairs the recovery of ATP levels after reperfusion, and that ATP determination by P-31 NMR spectroscopy , as a noninvasive modality, may help in the prediction of PNF after l iver transplantation.