Resonance Health is proud to provide you with a quick snapshot of a number of relevant papers that have been recently published.
Does Fat Suppression via Chemically Selective Saturation Affect R2*-MRI for Transfusional Iron Overload Assessment? A Clinical Evaluation at 1.5T and 3T
This article by Krafft et al (Aug 2015) published in Magnetic Resonance in Medicine demonstrates that liver fat can significantly confound liver iron concentration (LIC) measurements made by T2* or R2* MRI methods. One of the findings from this paper is that LIC calibrations can differ depending on whether or not fat suppression is used during data acquisition. By comparison, FerriScan (an R2 MRI method) is not affected by the presence of fat. Furthermore, FerriScan has been clinically validated to demonstrate that results are unaffected by inflammation, fibrosis or cirrhosis, making it an ideal test of choice in LIC measurement.
Please click here to read the abstract…
Tissue Iron Distribution Assessed by MRI in Patients with Iron Loading Anemias
Gutiérrez et al published this research article in PLOS ONE in September 2015. Using FerriScan, they investigated iron loading in the liver, bone marrow, spleen and kidney in various patients with sickle cell disease (SCD), paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) and non-transfusion dependent thalassemia (NTDT). They demonstrated that FerriScan can be used to assess iron loading in other organs of the human body including the bone marrow.Resonance Health is now able to offer bone marrow, spleen and kidney R2 measurements as an investigational tool in a research setting; in conjunction with our regulatory approved FerriScan and Cardiac T2* measurements.
Please contact emmas@resonancehealth.comif you are interested in a potential collaboration in this area.
Please click here to read the article…
MRI Measurements of Iron Load in Transfusion-Dependent Patients: Implementation, Challenges, and Pitfalls
This Pediatric Blood and Cancer article by Quinn and St Pierre was published in December 2015. The article reviews the “challenges of establishing suitable MRI techniques for tissue iron measurement in regularly transfused patients”. The benefits of MRI techniques over liver biopsy and serum ferritin monitoring are highlighted, as too is the need to ensure that accurate and valid MRI methods are chosen. As a regulatory cleared and clinically validated technique, Resonance Health’s FerriScan and Cardiac T2* techniques are ideal.
Please click here to read the article…
Real-life Experience with Liver Iron Concentration R2 MRI Measurement in Patients with Hemoglobinopathies: Baseline Data from LICNET.
The Italian Liver Iron Concentration Network (LICNET) group have published further data on their experience using FerriScan in the European Journal of Haematology, Vitrano et al, January 2016.
The Italian network of haematologists and radiologists gathered data which underscore the importance of measuring LIC in children as young as two years; finding some children were already heavily iron loaded. FerriScan is especially suited to measuring iron accurately in young children as it does not require breath holds; a benefit when compared with many alternative techniques. The authors comment that FerriScan is robust against inflammation and fibrosis and that it is approved by the FDA.
Please click here to read the abstract…
Iron Overload in Survivors of Childhood Cancer
Schempp et al published this interesting article in Pediatric Hematology / Oncology in January 2016. The study featured the use of FerriScan in childhood survivors of cancer who had received multiple blood transfusions. Using FerriScan in patients with high serum ferritin, the authors demonstrated that all subjects had significantly elevated liver iron. The authors warn against relying on ferritin as a marker of total body iron owing to its role as an acute phase reactant. The results indicate that careful and accurate monitoring of iron overload could be an important factor in the ongoing management of these patients. FerriScan is the ideal tool to use for such accurate monitoring of body iron stores.
If you wish to explore how FerriScan could improve patient outcomes in this setting please contact juliew@resonancehealth.com
Please click here to read the abstract…