Can ultrasound elastography assess liver quality in brain-dead donors and predict early allograft dysfunction after transplantation?

Purpose: To evaluate the role of two-dimensional shear wave elastography (2D SWE) in assessing graft quality before liver transplantation and the relationship between donor liver stiffness (LS) and early allograft dysfunction (EAD) after transplantation.

Methods: Eighty-three donors from January 2018 to December 2018 were involved in this prospective study. Liver stiffness measurements (LSMs) were performed using 2D SWE. The differences in LS values between discarded and transplanted grafts were analyzed. The relationship of donor LS with recipient EAD was also evaluated.

Results: Our results suggest that the donor LS values were higher in discarded grafts than in transplanted grafts (24.0 ± 10.9 kPa vs 10.0 ± 2.6 kPa, p < 0.001). LSM failed in one donor. According to multivariate logistic regression analysis, the donor LS values ≥10.9 kPa (odds ratio [OR] 4.042, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.133-14.421, p = 0.031), BMI (OR 1.287, 95% CI 1.025-1.616, p = 0.030) and INR (OR 6.703, 95% CI 1.338-33.589, p = 0.021) were independently associated with EAD.

Conclusion: Donor LSM conducted by 2D SWE might represent an effective quantitative method to evaluate graft quality. Donor LS might predict recipient EAD after liver transplantation.