Detection of Portal Vein Stenosis by Technetium-99m-Diethylenetriaminepentaacetic Acid-Galactosyl Human Serum Albumin Liver Scintigraphy after Living-Donor Liver Transplantation.

Background/aim: To investigate portal vein stenosis after living-donor liver transplantation by liver scintigraphy.

Methodology: A 63-year-old woman with hepatic cirrhosis due to autoimmune hepatitis underwent living-donor liver transplantation using a graft donated by her daughter. Technetium-99m-diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid-galactosyl human serum albumin (Tc-99m-GSA) scintigraphy was used to determine the maximum rate of Tc-99m-GSA removal (GSA-Rmax) by hepatocytes, as a parameter of hepatic functional reserve.

Results: Conventional liver function parameters on laboratory tests and graft volume on computed tomography (CT) were almost unchanged at postoperative month (POM) 12. GSA-Rmax was 0.11 mg/min before surgery and increased 5-fold to approximately 0.5 mg/min at POM 1 and 3, followed by a decrease to 0.25 mg/min at POM 6 and 12. Enhanced CT did not detect blood flow in the intra- or extrahepatic portions of the portal vein at POM 12. The portal vein stenosis was dilated with a balloon catheter, followed by deployment of a self-expanding stent across the stenotic segment via the transileocolic vein. GSA-Rmax recovered to 0.5 mg/min at POM 15, and subsequently remained high.

Conclusions: Decreased GSA-Rmax at POM 6 indicated that the portal vein stenosis was affecting graft function. Tc-99m-GSA liver scintigraphy may be a useful noninvasive method for evaluation of graft functional reserve.