Ernst M. Jung1, Lukas Prantl2, Andreas G. Schreyer1, Niels Zorger1, Stefan Feuerbach1, Claudia Fellner1
1Institute of Radiology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany; 2Department of Trauma and Plastic Surgery, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
To evaluate postoperative tissue perfusion of microvascular flaps of the lower leg, 10 patients underwent contrast enhanced harmonic ultrasound imaging (CHI), laser-induced indocyanine green (ICG) fluorescence angiography and perfusion weighted (PW) MRI. For MRI global time intensity curves and color-coded relative blood volume maps were evaluated qualitatively. For CHI and ICG time intensity curves in selected regions of interest were analyzed. Correlation between CHI, MRI and ICG was 0.69 0.83 for the distal parts, 0.74 0.87 for the center of the flaps. Therefore, CHI and PW MRI might be a promising tool for postoperative monitoring in patients with free flaps.