title: Simultaneous liver iron and fat measures by magnetic resonance imaging in patients with hyperferritinemia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Hyperferritinemia is frequent in chronic liver diseases of any cause, but the extent to which ferritin truly reflects iron stores is variable. In these patients, both liver iron and fat are found in variable amount and association. Liver biopsy is often required to quantify liver fat and iron, but sampling variability and invasiveness limit its use. We aimed to assess single breath-hold multiecho magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for the simultaneous lipid and iron quantification in patients with hyperferritinemia.
  
  
  METHODS
  We compared MRI results for both iron and fat with their respective gold standards - liver iron concentration and computer-assisted image analysis for steatosis on biopsy. We prospectively studied 67 patients with hyperferritinemia and other 10 consecutive patients were used for validation. We estimated two linear calibration equations for the prediction of iron and fat based on MRI. The agreement between MRI and biopsy was evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  MRI showed good performances in both the training and validation samples. MRI information was almost completely in line with that obtained from liver biopsy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Single breath-hold multiecho MRI is an accurate method to obtain a valuable measure of both liver iron and steatosis in patients with hyperferritinemia.
authors: Department of Health Sciences, Centre of Biostatistics for Clinical Epidemiology, University of Milano-Bicocca , Monza , Italy.
authors: Stefania
authors: S
authors: Galimberti
authors: Paola
authors: P
authors: Trombini
authors: Davide Paolo
authors: DP
authors: Bernasconi
authors: Irene
authors: I
authors: Redaelli
authors: Sara
authors: S
authors: Pelucchi
authors: Giorgio
authors: G
authors: Bovo
authors: Filiberto
authors: F
authors: Di Gennaro
authors: Nicola
authors: N
authors: Zucchini
authors: Nicoletta
authors: N
authors: Paruccini
authors: Alberto
authors: A
authors: Piperno
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue; D001706:Biopsy; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007501:Iron / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D008099:Liver / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies
chemical_list: D007501:Iron
keywords: ferritin; iron; liver; magnetic resonance imaging; steatosis