Imaging of liver transplantation

Area of Science:

• Hepatology and Transplantation
• Radiology and Medical Imaging

Background:

• Liver transplantation (LT) is a primary treatment for end-stage liver disease, acute liver failure, and early hepatocellular carcinoma.
• Effective patient and donor selection, along with post-transplant complication management, are critical for successful outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the role of advanced imaging modalities in liver transplantation.
• To highlight key imaging findings associated with common clinical challenges in LT.

Main Methods:

• Review of current literature on imaging in liver transplantation.
• Discussion of ultrasonography (US), computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) applications.

Main Results:

• Imaging is essential for pre-transplant evaluation, guiding patient and donor selection.
• US, CT, and MRI are vital for early detection of post-transplant complications.
• Specific imaging findings correlate with various clinical problems encountered after LT.

Conclusions:

• State-of-the-art imaging techniques are indispensable throughout the liver transplantation process.
• Radiological assessment is key to optimizing graft function and patient survival post-LT.