title: T2* magnetic resonance imaging of the liver in thalassemic patients in Iran.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the accuracy of T2*-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI T2*) in the evaluation of iron overload in beta-thalassemia major patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this cross-sectional study, 210 patients with beta-thalassemia major having regular blood transfusions were consecutively enrolled. Serum ferritin levels were measured, and all patients underwent MRI T2* of the liver. Liver biopsy was performed in 53 patients at an interval of no longer than 3 mo after the MRI T2* in each patient. The amount of iron was assessed in both MRI T2* and liver biopsy specimens of each patient.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients' ages ranged from 8 to 54 years with a mean of 24.59 ± 8.5 years. Mean serum ferritin level was 1906 ± 1644 ng/mL. Liver biopsy showed a moderate negative correlation with liver MRI T2* (r = -0.573, P = 0.000) and a low positive correlation with ferritin level (r = 0.350, P = 0.001). Serum ferritin levels showed a moderate negative correlation with liver MRI T2* values (r = -0.586, P = 0.000).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study suggests that MRI T2* is a non-invasive, safe and reliable method for detecting iron load in patients with iron overload.
authors.affiliation: Gastroenterology and Liver Disease Research Center, Firoozgar Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Valadi Street, Valiasr Square, Tehran, Iran. zamani.farhad@gmail.com
authors.forename: Farhad
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zamani
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Razmjou
authors.forename: Shahram
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Akhlaghpoor
authors.forename: Seyyedeh-Masoomeh
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Eslami
authors.forename: Azita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Azarkeivan
authors.forename: Afsaneh
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Amiri
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001706:Biopsy; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D019190:Iron Overload / Q000473:pathology; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055815:Young Adult; D017086:beta-Thalassemia / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D005293:Ferritins