Non-invasive imaging for the diagnosis of acute rejection in transplantation: The next frontier.

Abstract

Acute rejection is a leading cause of organ transplant failure and the most common indication for re-transplantation. Clinically, suspicion of acute rejection is often dependent upon serum laboratory values which may only manifest after organ injury. The gold standard for diagnosis requires an invasive biopsy which can carry serious clinical risks including bleeding and graft loss as well as the risk of sampling error. The use of noninvasive imaging modalities to monitor transplanted organs is of great clinical value, particularly as a tool for early detection of graft dysfunction or acute rejection. Herein, we provide an overview of the existing literature evaluating noninvasive imaging modalities of solid organ and cellular allografts after transplantation, including both preclinical and clinical studies.