Interventional radiology procedures in adult patients who underwent liver transplantation

Interventional radiology has acquired a key role in every liver transplantation(LT)program by treating the majority of vascular and non-vascular post-transplant complications,improving graft and patient survival and avoiding,in the majority of cases,surgical revision and/or re-transplantation.The aim of this paper is to review indications,technical consideration,results achievable and potential complications of interventional radiology procedures after deceased donor LT and living related adult LT.

Multidisciplinary imaging of liver hydatidosis

Liver hydatidosis is a parasitic endemic disease affecting extensive areas in our planet, a significant stigma within medicine to manage because of its incidence, possible complications, and diagnostic involvements. The diagnosis of liver hydatidosis should be as fast as possible because of the relevant complications that may arise with disease progression, involving multiple organs and neighboring structures causing disruption, migration, contamination. The aim of this essay is to illustrate the role of imaging as ultrasonography （US）, multi detector row computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging （MRI） in the evaluation of liver hydatidosis： the diagnosis, the assessment of extension, the identification of possible complications and the monitoring the response to therapy. US is the screening method of choice. Computed tomography （CT） is indi-cated in cases in which US is inadequate and has high sensitivity and specificity for calcified hydatid cysts. Magnetic resonance is the best imaging procedure to demonstrate a cystic component and to show a biliary tree involvement. Diagnostic tests such as CT and MRI are mandatory in liver hydatidosis because they allow thorough knowledge regarding lesion size, location, and relations to intrahepatic vascular and biliary structures, providing useful information for effective treatment and decrease in post-operative morbidity. Hydatid disease is classified into four types on the basis of their radiologic appearance.

Efficacy of transcatheter embolization/chemoembolization (TAE/TACE) for the treatment of single hepatocellular carcinoma

AIM:To investigate the efficacy of transcatheter embolization/chemoembolization (TAE/TACE) in cirrhotic patients with single hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) not suitable for surgical resection and percutaneous ablation therapy. METHODS:A cohort of 176 consecutive cirrhotic patients with single HCC undergoing TAE/TACE was reviewed; 162 patients had at least one image examination (helical CT scan or triphasic contrastenhanced MRI) after treatment and were included into the study. TAE was performed with Lipiodol followed by Gelfoam embolization; TACE was performed with Farmorubicin prepared in sterile drip at a dose of 50 mg/m2,infused over 30 min using a peristaltic pump,and followed by Lipiodol and Gelfoam embolization. RESULTS:Patients characteristics were:mean age,62 years; male/female 117/45; Child-Pugh score 6.2 ± 1.1; MELD 8.7 ± 2.3; mean HCC size,3.6 (range 1.0-12.0) cm. HCC size class was ≤ 2.0 cm,n = 51; 2.1-3.0 cm,n = 35; 3.1-4.0 cm,n = 29; 4.1-5.0 cm,n = 22; 5.1-6.0 cm,n = 11; and > 6.0 cm,n = 14. Patients received a total of 368 TAE/TACE (mean 2.4 ± 1.7). Complete tumor necrosis was obtained in 94 patients (58%),massive (90%-99%) necrosis in 16 patients (10%),partial (50%-89%) necrosis in 18 patients (11%) and poor (< 50%) necrosis in the remaining 34 patients (21%). The rate of complete necrosis according to the HCC size class was:69%,69%,52%,68%,50% and,13% for lesions of ≤ 2.0,2.1-3.0,3.1-4.0,4.1-5.0,5.1-6.0,and > 6.0 cm,respectively. Kaplan-Mayer survival at 24-mo was 88%,68%,59%,59%,45%,and 53% for lesions of ≤ 2.0,2.1-3.0,3.1-4.0,4.1-5.0,5.1-6.0,and > 6.0 cm,respectively. CONCLUSION:Our study showed that in cirrhotic patients with single HCC smaller than 6.0 cm,TAE/TACE produces complete local control of tumor in a significant proportion of patients. TAE/TACE is an effective therapeutic option in patients with single HCC not suitable for surgical resection or percutaneous ablation therapies. Further studies should investigate if the new available embolization agents or drug eluting beads may improve the effect on tumor necrosis.

Percutaneous transarterial embolization of extrahepatic arteroportal fistula

Arteroportal fistula is a rare cause of prehepatic portal hypertension. A 44-year-old male with hepatitis virus C infection was admitted for acute variceal bleeding. Endoscopy showed the presence of large esophageal varices. The ultrasound revealed a mass near the head of pancreas, which was characterized at the color- Doppler by a turbulent flow, and arterialization of portal vein flow. CT scan of abdomen showed a large aneurysm of the gastroduodenal artery communicating into the superior mesenteric vein. The sinusoidal portal pressure measured as hepatic vein pressure gradient was normal, confirming the pre-hepatic origin of portal hypertension. The diagnosis of extrahepatic portal hypertension secondary to arteroportal fistula was established, and the percutaneous embolization was performed. Three months later, the endoscopy showed absence of esophageal varices and ascites. At the moment, the patient is in good clinical condition, without signs of portal hypertension.

Predictive factors of tumor response to trans-catheter treatment in cirrhotic patients with hepatocellular carcinoma:A multivariate analysis of pre-treatment findings

AIM： To elucidate the pre-treatment clinical and imaging findings affecting the tumor response to the transcatheter treatment of unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma （HCC）. METHODS： Two hundred cirrhotic patients with HCC received a total of 425 transcatheter treatments. The tumor response was evaluated by helical CT and a massive necrosis （MN） was defined as a necrosis 〉 90%. Twenty-five clinical and imaging variables were analyzed： uninodular/multinodular HCC, unilobar/bilobar, tumor capsula, hypervascular lesion, portal vein thrombosis, portal hypertension, ascites, platelets count, aspartate transaminases/alanine transaminases （AST/ALT）, alfa- fetoprotein （AFP） 〉 100, AFP 〉 400, serum creatinine, virus hepatitis C （VHC） cirrhosis, performance status, age, Okuda stage, ChUd-Pugg stage, sex, CLIP （Cancer of the Liver Italian Program） score, serum bilirubin, constitutional syndrome, serum albumine, prothrombin activity, BCLC （Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer） stage. Prognostic factors of response were subjected to univariate analysis and thereafter, when significant, to the multivariate analyses. RESULTS： On imaging analysis, complete response wasobtained in 60 （30%） patients, necrosis 〉 90% in 38 （19%） patients, necrosis 〉 50% in 44 （22%） patients, and necrosis 〈 50% in 58 （29%） patients. Ninety-eight （49%） of the 200 patients were considered to have a MN. In univariate analysis, significant variables （P 〈 0.01） were： uninodular tumor, unilobar, tumor size 2-6 cm, CLIP score 〈 2, absence of constitutional syndrome, and BCLC stage 〈 2. In a multivariate analysis, the variables reaching statistical significance were： presence of tumor capsule （P 〈 0.0001）, tumor size 2-6 cm （P 〈 0.03）, CLIP score 〈 2 （P 〈 0.006）, and absence of constitutional syndrome （P 〈 0.03）. Kaplan-Mayer cumulative survival at 12 mo was 80% at 24 mo was 56%. MN was associated with a longer survival （P 〈 0.0001）. CONCLUSION： MN after transcatheter treatment is more common in the presence of tumor capsule, maximum diameter of the main lesion between 2 and 6 cm, CLIP score 〈 2 and absence of constitutional syndrome. The ability to predict which patients will respond to transcatheter treatment may be useful in the clinical decision-making process, and in stratifying the randomization of patients in clinical trials.

Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt with accidental diagnosis of persistence of the left superior vena cava

Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPSS) is considered a valid therapeutic option for the treatment of portal hypertension and its complications.The guidelines for this procedure have already been established on the basis of the normal vascular anatomy and of various technical radiological aspects.In some few rare cases,diagnosis of a congenital vascular anomaly can be made accidentally by interventional radiologists,making the procedure of the TIPSS placement extremely difficult or in some cases technically impossible.This report describes a rare vascular malformation characterized by the absence of the right superior vena cava and persistence of the left superior vena cava in a patient with a diagnosis of advanced liver cirrhosis who needed a TIPSS placement in order to control refractory ascites.

Gastric duplication associated with pancreas divisum diagnosed by a multidisciplinary approach before surgery

We report a unique case of communicating gastric duplication associated with pancreas divisum,diagnosed with a multidisciplinary approach,including X-rays,computed tomography,magnetic resonance imaging,esophagogastro duodenoscopy,ultrasound endoscopy and histology. We believe that this approach constitutes a fuller diagnostic evaluation,resulting in better and safer surgery.