Objective: Using non-invasive methods, such as BMI and CT LAIto suggest a prediction model for hepatic steatosis, examine the CT liver attenuation index and body mass index (BMI)association for pathological steatosis in living liver donors. Histological analysis remains the standard reference.

Study Design: Retrospective study

Place and Duration of Study: Liver Transplantation Department, Bahria International Hospital Orchard, Lahore from 1st June 2017 to 31st December 2018.

Methodology: Fifty-nine donors were included with a median age of 23.00 years, as well as the potential donors for LDLT who experienced evaluation as a potential liver donor. Donors who underwent CT scan and histological liver evaluation were part of this study.

Results: Of the donors, forty-eight (81.35%) had a CT LAI ≥1. The median BMI was 22.1 (range: 17.00–33.4). Twenty eight (47.5%) of the patients had undergone liver biopsy for screening in the pre-transplant period whereas 31 (52.5%) of the total evaluated donors underwent biopsy during the transplant. Thirty four (57.62%) out of 59 evaluated living liver donors underwent hepatectomy. Non-significant association (P=0.719) between different categories of BMI as the steatosis increases histologically, whereas significant association (P<.05) for CT LAI as the steatosis increases histologically.

Conclusion: Body mass index alone is not a reliable factor for liver fat estimation non-enhanced CT liver-spleen attenuation index of ≤0 correspond to severe hepatic steatosis reserving histopathological liver evaluation via biopsy for selected cases and decreasing the need of liver biopsy while making sure both donor and recipient are safe.

Keywords:Living donor liver transplantation, CT LAI, BMI, Liver biopsy