Abstract #2670

MRI Artifacts Due to Ingestion of Iron Supplements

Jennifer Stoneburgh¹, Ali Fatemi-Ardekani², Barry Smith³, Michael D. Noseworthy^4,5

¹Electrical & Computer Engineering, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; ²Medical Physics, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; ³Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; ⁴Biomedical Engineering; Electrical & Computer Engineering, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; ⁵Brain Body Institute, St. Joseph's Healthcare, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

It is common MRI knowledge that iron causes rapid MR signal dephasing and artifacts. Meanwhile, many people take iron nutritional supplements for low iron status. We describe here how ingestion of a standard "over the counter" iron supplement, too soon before an MRI scan, can result in artifacts. Based on steady state imaging results and analytical measurement using a volume magnetic susceptibility balance our results demonstrate that patients should not ingest iron containing vitamin supplements prior to an abdominal MRI scan.