The incidence and implications of chest radiographic abnormalities following orthotopic liver transplantation.

A study of 23 patients undergoing orthotopic liver transplantation revealed that 80% of patients developed a clinically significant chest radiographic abnormality. Localized chest radiographic abnormalities generally occurred within the initial postoperative weeks and appeared to be related to the surgical procedure. Diffusely abnormal chest radiographs were most often associated with an infectious pneumonitis and rarely occurred prior to the third postoperative week. Two patients developed unusual pulmonary calcifications demonstrable by computed tomography and radionuclide bone scan.