Abstract #4449

Gradient Echo vs. Spin Echo MRI to Determine Liver Iron Concentration

Arthur Peter Wunderlich^1,2, Holger Cario³, Mario Teigeler¹, Meinrad Beer¹, and Stefan Andreas Schmidt¹

¹Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Ulm University, Medical Center, Ulm, Germany, ²Section for Experimental Radiology, Ulm University, Medical Center, Ulm, Germany, ³Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Ulm University, Medical Center, Ulm, Germany

To evaluate an alternative to an established method for liver iron content (LIC) determination based on spin-echo (SE) MRI, we analyzed 195 MRI scans, including both SE and gradient echo (GRE) protocols, of regularly transfused patients suspected for liver iron overload. A relationship was derived between reference LIC obtained by Ferriscan® and GRE data. From this, LIC was determined using GRE acquisitions and these values correlated to reference LIC. Considering the LIC threshold of 80 µmol/g (4.5 mg/g) relevant for therapy, diagnostic accuracy of the GRE approach was quite good, with sensitivity and specificity of 99/98 % compared to Ferriscan®.

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