Safety of multidetector computed tomography in calculating liver volume for living-donor liver transplantation

Living-related liver transplantation was developed to overcome the organ shortage for both children and adults with end-stage liver disease. Because impaired liver function after resection and transplantation is caused by insufficient liver volume, the reliable volumetric assessment of the hepatic segments of potential living donors is a critical element in preoperative evaluation. In this study, we compared the results of multidetector computed tomographic (CT) volumetry with the intraoperative findings from 80 liver transplantations performed at our center. Resection borders were determined preoperatively with the aid of CT by manual delineation in which the hepatic vessels were used as guides. Resected liver grafts were weighed intraoperatively, and the calculation of their volume was based on the specific weight of 1 g/mL. Statistical analyses were performed with Pearson's correlation test; P < .05 was considered significant. The study subjects consisted of 48 women and 32 men (mean age, 35.6 +/- 9.7 years; range, 23-56 years). Forty-one donors underwent right lobectomy, 22 underwent left lobectomy, and 17 underwent left lateral segmentectomy. Manual volumetric measurement was completed within 15 minutes. No significant differences were found between the results of preoperative volumetry and the intraoperative measurement. We therefore concluded that manual CT volumetric calculation is a reliable method of calculating liver volume for living-donor liver transplantation.