title: Assessment of iron stores in children with transfusion siderosis by biomagnetic liver susceptometry.
abstract: To investigate the applicability of noninvasive Superconducting Quantum Interference Device (SQUID) biomagnetic liver susceptometry and its limitations in thalassemic children, 23 patients with beta-thalassemia major and other iron loading anemias (age: 4-16 years) and 16 age-related normal children were studied. Liver iron concentrations ranged from 600 to 11,000 microg/g(liver) for thalassemic patients and from 60 to 340 microg/g(liver) for normal patients. Measuring the respective organ volumes by sonography, liver and spleen iron stores, accounting for 80% of total body iron stores, were estimated. Nonliver contributions from the lung or intestine to the measured SQUID signals in the small-sized patients were not observed. Moreover, livers in thalassemia were found to be enlarged by 18% per 1,000 microg/g (r = 0.75, P < 10(-3)). Serum ferritin values correlate significantly with iron stores (r = 0.64, P < 10(-3)), but predict iron stores only within large error intervals of 4,000 microg/g(liver). Analyzing the experimental data from biomagnetometry and from related transfusion and chelation treatment data within the framework of a two-compartment model, we were able to derive additional information on total body iron elimination and chelation therapy efficacy. The exponential decline of iron stores allows forecast of steady-state conditions of the final iron load for a particular transfusion and chelation therapy regimen.
authors: Abteilung Medizinische Biochemie, University Hospital Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany. fischer@uke.uni-hamburg.de
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Fischer
authors: C D
authors: CD
authors: Tiemann
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Engelhardt
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Nielsen
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Dürken
authors: E E
authors: EE
authors: Gabbe
authors: G E
authors: GE
authors: Janka
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007422:Intestines / Q000737:chemistry; D007501:Iron / Q000032:analysis*; D008099:Liver / Q000737:chemistry*; D008168:Lung / Q000737:chemistry; D008280:Magnetics; D012806:Siderosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism*; D013154:Spleen / Q000737:chemistry; D065227:Transfusion Reaction; D017086:beta-Thalassemia / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D005293:Ferritins; D007501:Iron