Lung transplantation: Postoperative imaging

Lung transplantation has recently become feasible primarily due to improvements in surgical techniques and use of cyclosporin for immunosuppression. Because it allows the donor heart and, for single lung transplant, the second lung to be used in other recipients, this technique is gaining widespread use. Imaging procedures play an integral role in the diagnosis of posttransplant complications and in the assessment of the functional status of the transplanted lung. Unique complications seen in these patients include those associated with cyclosporin-induced immunosuppression, rejection, and bronchostrenosis and dehiscence of the bronchial anastomosis. The authors report the imaging findings in 13 single-lung and three double-lung transplant recipients