ACR Appropriateness Criteria® Imaging After Liver Transplant.
Guideline
Overview
abstract
Liver transplantation is currently the treatment of choice for patients with acute or advanced chronic liver failure. Complications that can lead to liver allograft failure or patient mortality include vascular abnormalities, biliary complications, infection, rejection, and recurrent or posttransplant malignancy. Imaging plays a vital role in detecting these complications. This document summarizes the relevant literature for the selection of imaging after liver transplant for the following clinical scenarios: immediate postoperative period, postoperative complications of suspected vascular etiology, postoperative complications of suspected biliary etiology, and postoperative surveillance. The American College of Radiology Appropriateness Criteria are evidence-based guidelines for specific clinical conditions that are reviewed annually by a multidisciplinary expert panel. The guideline development and revision process support the systematic analysis of the medical literature from peer reviewed journals. Established methodology principles such as Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation or GRADE are adapted to evaluate the evidence. The RAND/UCLA Appropriateness Method User Manual provides the methodology to determine the appropriateness of imaging and treatment procedures for specific clinical scenarios. In those instances where peer reviewed literature is lacking or equivocal, experts may be the primary evidentiary source available to formulate a recommendation.
