EX-VIVO MAGNETIC-RESONANCE-IMAGING OF PRETRANSPLANT HUMAN DONOR LIVER- CLINICAL-EXPERIENCE IN 66 CASES

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed on 66 cold-stored human donor livers. Spin echo images were obtained with a clinical whole bo dy MRI system. Various parenchymal and vascular abnormalities were fou nd. An unexpected finding was the abundant presence of intrahepatic ai r. Although the majority of parenchymal abnormalities that were found would not have precluded transplantation, the rationale of pretranspla nt MRI was to prevent the introduction of unidentified pathology into the recipient. Guided by the MR images, lesions in the isolated organ can be easily located for biopsy and resection. Unnecessary or inadequ ate therapeutic interventions after transplantation can thus be avoide d. In addition, the visualization of the hepatic veins with their conf luence appears to be useful in split-liver procedures.