Investigation of right lobe hepatic vein variations of donor using 64-detector computed tomography before living donor liver transplantation.

BACKGROUND/AIMS To investigate the anatomy and variations of right lobe accessory veins and segment 5-8 veins draining into middle hepatic vein with 64 slice multidetector computed tomography (CT). MATERIALS AND METHODS 100 consecutive living donor candidates underwent 64 slice CT angiography. Image interpretation was performed based on source axial images, multiplanar reformats, and three-dimensional postprocessing images by the same radiologist. RESULTS 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 cases (83%). Most of them were the inferior right hepatic veins (55%). All cases were classified according to the number of segment 5-8 veins and the presence or absence of a right accessory hepatic vein. Most of the donors had more than one segment 5-8 vein and right lobe accessory veins (57%). CONCLUSION Multidetector CT is a valuable technique for investigating the venous anatomy of the liver in living donor candidates. Anatomy and variations of the hepatic veins can easily be evaluated by using multiplanar images.