Microbubble ultrasound contrast in the assessment of hepatic artery patency following liver transplantation: role in reducing frequency of hepatic artery arteriography

We prospectively evaluated the role of microbubble ultrasound contrast for detection of hepatic artery thrombosis following liver transplantation. The hepatic artery of adult liver transplant recipients with suspected thrombosis on surveillance Doppler ultrasound (US) were re-examined by a second observer. In patients with no hepatic spectral Doppler signal the microbubble contrast agent Levovist was used. The presence or absence of flow following microbubble contrast was evaluated against arteriography or repeated Doppler US findings. A total of 794 surveillance Doppler US examinations were performed in 231 patients. Hepatic artery flow was demonstrated in 759 of 794 (95.6%) examinations. Microbubble ultrasound contrast was administered in 31 patients (35 studies) with suspected hepatic artery thrombosis. Following microbubble US contrast the hepatic artery could not be demonstrated in 13 of 35 (37.1%) studies (12 patients). Eight patients had arteriography: there was hepatic artery thrombosis in 7 patients and 1 patient had a patent, highly attenuated artery. Detection of a patent hepatic artery increased from 759 of 794 (95.6%) to 781 of 794 (98.4%) with the addition of microbubble contrast. Upon independent reading of the data, the degree of operator confidence in the assessment of the hepatic artery patency prior to microbubble contrast was 4.7 (CI 1.92–7.5) but rose to 8.45 (CI 7.06–9.84) following microbubble contrast (p<0.0001). In 22 of 35 (62.9%) of studies arteriography could potentially have been avoided. Ultrasound microbubble contrast media may reduce the need for invasive arteriography in the assessment of suspected hepatic artery thrombosis.