Coefficient factor for graft weight estimation from preoperative computed tomography volumetry in living donor liver transplantation

Abstract

In the clinical setting of living donor liver transplantation (LDLT), it is common to find a discrepancy between the graft volume estimated by preoperative computed tomography volumetry and the actual graft weight (AGW) measured on the back-table. In this study, we attempt to find the coefficient factor that correlates the estimated graft volume to the AGW. Whole livers explanted in 25 LDLT recipients (17 cirrhotic and 8 morphologically normal with familial amyloid polyneuropathy) were evaluated to compare cirrhotic livers and noncirrhotic normal livers. In addition, right lobe grafts (n = 39) and left lobe grafts (n = 35) used in LDLTs were also evaluated to further determine the correlation between estimated graft volume and AGW. The correlation coefficient between estimated liver volume and actual liver weight was 1.01 in whole cirrhotic livers, whereas it was 0.85 in whole livers with familial amyloid polyneuropathy. In the partial liver grafts, it was 0.84 in right lobe grafts and 0.85 in left lobe grafts. In conclusion, we suggest that a correlation coefficient of 0.85 should be applied for the accurate calculation of the graft weight from the volume estimated by preoperative computed tomography in LDLT.