Diagnostic accuracy of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in monitoring vascular complications in patients after liver transplantation - diagnostic performance compared with histopathological results

PURPOSE: To analyse the diagnostic performance of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in patients with vascular complications and transplant rejection compared to histopathological results. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Our study consisted of 45 retrospectively analysed patients that underwent liver transplantations between January 1993 and December 2015 and developed post-transplant vascular complications with transplant rejection. CEUS examinations took place between September 2006 and December 2015. CEUS findings were correlated with histopathological results. RESULTS: CEUS showed a sensitivity of 61.5%, a specificity of 100.0%, a positive predictive value (PPV) of 100.0% and a negative predictive value (NPV) of 86,5% in the detection of vascular complications with post-transplant rejection. 5 examinations were reported as normal whereas the histopathological result showed a transplant rejection (false-negative). CONCLUSION: CEUS might be a useful additional non-invasive technique for the assessment of vascular complications with post-transplant rejection in patients after liver transplantation.