[Value of whole body CTA in the management of brain-dead patients]

To assess the value of whole body CTA, as a complement to head CTA, in the management of brain-dead patients as potential organ donors. Materials and Methods. A total of 27 consecutive brain-dead patients admitted in a center authorized in the harvesting of organs between October 2006 and January 2008 were included. The imaging protocol used was the protocol recommended by the French Society of Neuroradiology, with additional arterial phase helical acquisition of the chest, abdomen and pelvis, and parenchymal phase helical acquisition of the abdomen and pelvis. The imaging findings were then correlated to the surgical reports after organ harvesting.

CTA readily demonstrates tissue lesions, a contraindication to harvesting (14 cases, including one false positive), and anatomical variants of the vascular system (7 arterial variants and 3 venous variants) and liver (8 patients).

CTA, the gold standard paraclinical examination for brain death assessment, allows, in a single examination, the identification of contraindications to organ harvesting that may modify the surgical approach and even avoid unnecessary mobilisation of the transplant team. It may also provide valuable preoperative evaluation by detecting anatomical variants of the liver and kidneys.