LiverIschemic-Type Biliary Lesions After Ortothopic Liver Transplantation: Diagnosis With Magnetic Resonance Cholangiography

PurposeTo determine the accuracy of magnetic resonance (MR) cholangiography for detection of ischemic-type biliary lesions (ITBL) following orthotropic liver transplantation (OLT).Materials and methodsMR cholangiography was performed in 16 patients with established diagnosis of ITBL following OLT. Two blinded observers reviewed all images in consensus and recorded diagnostic features including presence of intrahepatic and extrahepatic biliary strictures, dilatations, beading, pruning, and filling defects. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and accuracy of MR cholangiography were calculated. Final diagnosis was established at endoscopic retrograde cholangiography.ResultsMR cholangiography proved to be a valuable tool for the detection of stenoses and dilatations in patients with ITBL following OLT. Sensitivity of the different diagnostic features ranged between 71% and 100%, specificity between 50% and 100%, accuracy between 81% and 100%, and positive predictive value between 87% and 100%.ConclusionMR cholangiography proved to be an accurate imaging technique to noninvasively detect biliary complications in patients with ITBL after OLT.