Improved detection of renal vascular anatomy using multidetector CT angiography: Is 100% detection possible?

Background And Purpose: Multidetector CT angiography (MDCTA) is being used increasingly to evaluate vascular anatomy prior to donor nephrectomy. To improve the ability of MDCTA to predict donor renal anatomy, a novel protocol including four-phase imaging with three-dimensional reconstruction and maximum intensity projections (MIPs) was incorporated into the standard donor evaluation. The purpose of this study was to determine the results of this protocol.

Patients And Methods: Seventy consecutive patients who underwent hand-assisted laparoscopic donor nephrectomy between January 2003 and September 2004 were reviewed. All MDCTA studies were examined initially by a radiologist alone, after which, a second preoperative reading was performed by a radiologist and the operating surgeon together. The two reviews were compared with the operative findings.

Results: Using this protocol to detect the total number of renal arteries, veins, and ureters, the sensitivity of the initial radiologist was 97%, 100%, and 96%, respectively. These values increased to 100%, 100%, and 99% when the films were reviewed by a radiologist together with the surgeon who would operate on the donor. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy in predicting supernumerary arteries, including early (< or =1-cm) arterial branching was 89%, 100%, and 97%, respectively after the single reading but increased to 100%, 100%, and 100% with the combined reading.

Conclusions: An MDCTA study with this protocol provides excellent anatomic detail prior to donor nephrectomy. Its ability to predict renal-arterial and ureteral anatomy is enhanced when the films are reviewed simultaneously by a radiologist and the operating surgeon.