J Korean Soc Med Ultrasound.  2001 Mar;20(1):15-21.

Evaluation of Early Vascular Complications after Liver Transplantation: Usefulness of Power Doppler US with a Microbubble Contrast Agent - Preliminary Results

• Choi D
• Lim HK
• Kim SH
• Cho JM
• Lee JY
• Lee WJ
• Lim JH
• Pyeun YS
• Joh JW
• Kim SJ

Abstract

PURPOSE: To evaluate the usefulness of power Doppler ultrasonography (PDUS) with a microbubble contrast agent in assessing the early vascular complications after liver transplantation (LT).
MATERIALS and METHODS
In 15 patients with orthotopic LT (n = 12) and living-related donor LT (n = 3), PDUS examinations, before and after intravenous injection of a microbubble contrast agent, (Levovist ; Schering AG, Berlin, Germany) were performed one-day after the LT. We compared the results of unenhanced PDUS with those of contrast-enhanced PDUS in terms of depicting the complications and conspicuity of the lesions.
RESULTS
In three (20%) of 15 patients, flow signal of hepatic artery was not detected on unen-hanced PDUS, while contrast-enhanced PDUS showed flow signals of the hepatic artery in all patients. Both unenhanced and contrast-enhanced PDUS showed portal vein thromboses in two (13%) of 15 patients, but conspicuity of portal vein thromboses was better appreciated on contrast-enhanced PDUS.
CONCLUSION
Compared with unenhanced PDUS, contrast-enhanced PDUS showed better detection of hepatic arterial flow and increased conspicuity of portal vein thrombosis one-day after LT. Our preliminary data suggest that contrast-enhanced PDUS can be a promising noninvasive technique in assessing the early vascular complications after LT.

MeSH Terms

Berlin
Hepatic Artery
Humans
Injections, Intravenous
Liver Transplantation*
Liver*
Microbubbles*
Portal Vein
Thrombosis
Tissue Donors
Ultrasonography, Doppler
Venous Thrombosis