Retrospective evaluation of hepatic venous variations in live donors with multidetector computerised tomography before liver transplantation

Introduction: Evaluation of hepatic venous anatomy in living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) with multidetector CT (MDCT) provides preoperative information. In this study we aimed to evaluate the number, calibrations and anatomical variations of right lobe accesory veins, middle hepatic vein and segment 5 - 8 veins with MDCT.Material and Methods: 100 consequtive donors individuals to be evaluated with MDCT were included in this study. Maximum intenstiy projection, multiplanar reformation and volume rendering methods were used. For statistical evaluation, Pearson?s correlation coefficient, Unpaired t test and Kruskal Wallis Variant Analys were used.Findings: There were 67 male and 33 female donors with mean age of 33,250 ( ? 11.03 years).Seventy of the donors (70%) had a common trunk draining both MHV and LHV into IVC.In our study; cases were classified according to number of veins draining segment 5-8 and presence or absence of right accessory hepatic vein. Most of them had more than one segment 5-8 veins.Segment 5 and 8 veins with larger diameters were frequently found to be the proximal ones.Accessory hepatic veins were present in the great majority of the cases (84%). The majority of the accessory hepatic veins in our cases were the right inferior hepatic veins. Additionally, the majority of the accessory veins with diameters greater than 5 mm were the accessory veins draining the inferior levels.Conclusion: In this study, the value MDCT venography was assessed in the preoperative evaluation of venous structures in potential living donors. Due to the possibility of demonstration of anatomy in various planes and angles, hepatic venous vascular variations were detected easily.In order to prevent surgical complications during and after surgery, the detailed venous anatomy of the potential living right liver lobe donors could, and for the time being should, be evaluated by MDCT before transplantation.Key words:Liver transplantation, multidetector CT, hepatic vein variation.