To investigate the diagnostic and follow up value of unltrasonography on hepatic hilar lymph node reactive hyperplasia after liver transplantation.

The ultrasonographic data of 1 019 liver transplant recipients who got liver transplantation in the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University during February 2006 and February 2016 were retrospectively analyzed, all therecipients were followed up more than 1 year, among which, the clinical data and ultrasonographic features of 87 recipients whose lymph node in hepatic hilar enlarged were analyzed further.

The incidence rate of hilar lymph node reactive hyperplasia was 8.54% (87/1 019) 1 year after transplantation. The enlarged lymph node in hepatic hilar were detected 7 days to 270 days after transplantation by unltrasonography. Fifty-seven recipients had single hepatic hilar lymph node reactive hyperplasia and other 30 recipients had multiple hepatic hilar lymph node reactive hyperplasia; the average length of the enlarged lymph nodes was (24.6±6.2) mm and the transverse diameter was (17.4±2.9) mm; the internal echo of enlarged lymph nodes was homogeneous and the color doppler flow image showed little blood signal. Two recipients were accompanied with mild to moderate portal vein stenosis. Three recipients whoes blood vessels in hepatic hilus were surrounded by enlarged lymph nodes were accompanied with mild intra-hepatic bile duct dilation. The average disappearance or reduction time of enlarged lymph nodes were (82±57) days.

Understanding the ultrasonographic and clinical features of lymph node hyperplasia in hepatic hilar can reduce most unnecessary biopsies. Unltrasonography can be used as an effective imaging tool for evaluating and monitoring hepatic hilar lymph node reactive hyperplasia after liver transplantation.