Abstract #2262

Muthupillai R, Krishnamurthy R, Chung T, Wang Z, Mueller B, Mahoney D, McClain K, Karpen S, Chu Z

An accurate measurement of hepatic iron concentration has significant value for managing iron-chelation therapy. A non-invasive MRI liver susceptometry measurement technique that had been developed and validated previously was used to study a group of patients with liver iron concentration up to 19.0 Fe mg /g dry tissue. With a decrease of the echo time of the T2 preparation pulse and an increase of the navigator beam area, the susceptibility measurement can be carried out for heavily iron-overloaded patients. The liver magnetic susceptibility measured by MRI was linearly correlated with biopsy determined liver iron concentration.