VASCULAR COMPLICATIONS OF LIVER-TRANSPLANTATION - EVALUATION WITH GADOLINIUM-ENHANCED MR-ANGIOGRAPHY

PURPOSE: To evaluate use of gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance (MR ) angiography in detection of vascular complications of liver transpla ntation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirteen liver transplant recipients s uspected to have vascular complications were evaluated with gadolinium -enhanced MR angiography by using a three-dimensional spoiled gradient -echo breath-hold technique during the arterial and venous phases of;a high-dose (42 mt) bolus injection of gadolinium contrast material. Co nventional angiography (n = 11) and surgery (n = 3) were used as the s tandard of reference. The transplant hepatic artery, celiac trunk, sup erior mesenteric artery, portal vein, superior mesenteric Vein, spleni c vein. hepatic veins, and inferior vena cava (IVC) were evaluated for thrombosis or stenosis is by two radiologists. RESULTS: Ten vascular complications were identified with conventional angiography or surgery : transplant hepatic artery thrombosis (n = 3) or stenosis (n = 3), po rtal vein stenosis (n = 1) or occlusion (n = 2), and suprahepatic IVC stenosis n = 1, All 10 complications were correctly diagnosed with MR angiography. There was agreement between results of MR angiography and conventional angiography or surgery In 58 of 62 vessels evaluated (94 %). There was minor disagreement in four vessels (6%). CONCLUSION: Thr ee-dimensional gadolinium-enhanced MR angiography may have the potenti al to enable accurate diagnosis of Vascular Complications of liver tra nsplantation.