Radiomic analysis of liver grafts from brain-dead donors can predict early allograft dysfunction following transplantation: a proof-of-concept study

Abstract

Background

Selection of liver grafts suitable for transplantation (LT) mainly depends on a surgeon's subjective assessment. This study aimed to investigate the role of radiomic analysis of donor-liver CTs after brain death (DBD) to predict the occurrence of early posttransplant allograft dysfunction (EAD).

Methods

We retrospectively extracted and analyzed the left lobe radiomic features from CT scans of DBD livers in training and validation cohorts. Multivariate analysis was performed to identify predictors of EAD.

Results

From 126 LTs included in the study in the training cohort, 27 (21.4%) had an EAD. For each patient, 279 radiomic features were extracted of which 5 were associated with EAD (AUC = 0.81) (95% CI 0.72–0.89). Among donor and recipient clinical characteristics, cardiac arrest, steatosis on donor's CT, cold ischemic time and age of recipient were also identified as independent risk factors for EAD. Combined radiomic signature and clinical risk factors showed a strong predictive performance for EAD with a C-index of 0.90 (95% CI 0.84–0.96). A validation cohort of 23 patients confirmed these results.

Conclusion

Radiomic signatures extracted from donor CT scan, independently or combined with clinical risk factors is an objective and accurate biomarker for prediction of EAD after LT.