Computed tomography identified factors that preclude living kidney donation

Area of Science:

• Nephrology
• Radiology
• Transplantation Surgery

Background:

• Living kidney donation is crucial for transplantation.
• Pre-donation screening identifies potential risks to donors and recipients.
• Multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) is a key imaging modality in donor evaluation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the variety and prevalence of renal and non-renal abnormalities on MDCT.
• To identify reasons for excluding potential kidney donors.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of 701 patients undergoing renal donor protocol MDCT.
• Systematic review of CT reports, transplantation round records, and electronic medical records.
• Categorization of CT-identified reasons for donor exclusion.

Main Results:

• 81 patients were excluded due to CT findings.
• Collecting system abnormalities (e.g., renal calculi) were the most frequent exclusion reason (n=41).
• Vascular abnormalities (e.g., complex anatomy, supernumerary arteries) led to 29 exclusions.

Conclusions:

• MDCT is vital for preoperative assessment of kidney donors.
• It identifies contraindications and provides essential vascular mapping.
• Quantifying exclusion reasons aids in refining donor workup protocols.