Measurement of the liver iron concentration in transfusional iron overload by MRI R2* and by high-transition-temperature superconducting magnetic susceptometry. Academic Article uri icon

Overview

abstract

  • PURPOSE: To compare measurement of the liver iron concentration in patients with transfusional iron overload by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), using R2*, and by magnetic susceptometry, using a new high-transitiontemperature (high-Tc; operating at 77 K, cooled by liquid nitrogen) superconducting magnetic susceptometer. METHODS: In 28 patients with transfusional iron overload, 43 measurements of the liver iron concentration were made by both R2* and high-Tc magnetic susceptometry. RESULTS: Measurements of the liver iron concentration by R2* and high-Tc magnetic susceptometry were significantly correlated when comparing all patients (Pearson's r = 0.91, p < 0.0001) and those with results by susceptometry >7 mg Fe/g liver, dry weight (r = 0.93, p = 0.006). In lower ranges of liver iron, no significant correlations between the two methods were found (0 to <3.2 mg Fe/g liver, dry weight: r = 0.2, p = 0.37; 3.2 to 7 mg Fe/g liver, dry weight: r = 0.41; p = 0.14). CONCLUSION: The lack of linear correlation between R2* and magnetic susceptibility measurements of the liver iron concentration with minimal or modest iron overload may be due to the effects of fibrosis and other cellular pathology that interfere with R2* but do not appreciably alter magnetic susceptibility.

publication date

  • January 31, 2019

Research

keywords

  • Erythrocyte Transfusion
  • Iron
  • Iron Overload
  • Liver
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Magnetometry

Identity

PubMed Central ID

  • PMC6626578

Scopus Document Identifier

  • 85061189880

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

  • 10.1016/j.clinimag.2019.01.012

PubMed ID

  • 30754013

Additional Document Info

volume

  • 55