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R2* magnetic resonance imaging of the liver in patients with iron overload

Jane S Hankins1, M Beth McCarville, Ralf B Loeffler

  • 1Departments of Hematology, St Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105-3678, USA. jane.hankins@stjude.org

Blood
|March 7, 2009
PubMed

Insights

R2* magnetic resonance imaging (R2*-MRI) accurately quantifies hepatic iron content (HIC). This noninvasive method shows strong correlation with liver biopsy results, confirming its clinical utility for managing iron overload.

Area of Science:

  • Medical Imaging
  • Hepatology
  • Hematology

Background:

  • Noninvasive quantification of hepatic iron content (HIC) is crucial for managing iron overload.
  • R2* magnetic resonance imaging (R2*-MRI) shows potential for assessing HIC but requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the accuracy and clinical utility of R2*-MRI for quantifying HIC in patients with iron overload.

Main Methods:

  • 43 patients with iron overload underwent 1.5T R2*-MRI and liver biopsy within 30 days.
  • Regions of interest were analyzed by 3 independent reviewers, assessing inter-reviewer agreement.
  • Correlation between R2*-MRI, serum ferritin, and HIC was evaluated.

Main Results:

  • R2*-MRI measurements showed excellent inter-reviewer agreement (ICC = 0.98).
  • R2*-MRI demonstrated a strong correlation with HIC (correlation coefficients, 0.96-0.98; P < .001).
  • A weaker but significant association was found between serum ferritin and R2*-MRI (correlation coefficients, 0.41-0.48; P < .01).

Conclusions:

  • R2*-MRI is a reliable and accurate noninvasive method for quantifying hepatic iron content.
  • The findings support the clinical utility of R2*-MRI for predicting HIC in patients with iron overload.
  • This study calibrates R2*-MRI measurements and confirms prior reports on its efficacy.

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