title: Measurement of liver iron concentration by MRI is reproducible.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objectives were (i) construction of a phantom to reproduce the behavior of iron overload in the liver by MRI and (ii) assessment of the variability of a previously validated method to quantify liver iron concentration between different MRI devices using the phantom and patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  A phantom reproducing the liver/muscle ratios of two patients with intermediate and high iron overload. Nine patients with different levels of iron overload were studied in 4 multivendor devices and 8 of them were studied twice in the machine where the model was developed. The phantom was analysed in the same equipment and 14 times in the reference machine.
  
  
  RESULTS
  FeCl3 solutions containing 0.3, 0.5, 0.6, and 1.2 mg Fe/mL were chosen to generate the phantom. The average of the intramachine variability for patients was 10% and for the intermachines 8%. For the phantom the intramachine coefficient of variation was always below 0.1 and the average of intermachine variability was 10% for moderate and 5% for high iron overload.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The phantom reproduces the behavior of patients with moderate or high iron overload. The proposed method of calculating liver iron concentration is reproducible in several different 1.5 T systems.
authors: Osatek, Donostia Universitary Hospital, P. Dr. Beguiristain 109, 20014 Donostia/San Sebastián, Spain.
authors: José María
authors: JM
authors: Alústiza
authors: Clinical Epidemiology, Donostia Universitary Hospital, P. Dr. Beguiristain 117, 20080 Donostia/San Sebastián, Spain.
authors: José I
authors: JI
authors: Emparanza
authors: Gastroenterology, Mendaro Hospital, Mendarozabal s/n, Mendaro, Spain.
authors: Agustín
authors: A
authors: Castiella
authors: Basque Country University, Avenida Tolosa 54, 20018 Donostia/San Sebastián, Spain.
authors: Alfonso
authors: A
authors: Casado
authors: Biochemical Laboratory, Donostia Universitary Hospital, P. Dr. Beguiristain 117, 20080 Donostia/San Sebastián, Spain.
authors: Adolfo
authors: 0000-0001-5344-1772
authors: A
authors: Garrido
authors: Experimental Department, Donostia Universitary Hospital, P. Dr. Beguiristain 117, 20080 Donostia/San Sebastián, Spain.
authors: Pablo
authors: P
authors: Aldazábal
authors: Osatek, Donostia Universitary Hospital, P. Dr. Beguiristain 109, 20014 Donostia/San Sebastián, Spain.
authors: Manuel
authors: M
authors: San Vicente
authors: Experimental Department, Donostia Universitary Hospital, P. Dr. Beguiristain 117, 20080 Donostia/San Sebastián, Spain.
authors: Nerea
authors: N
authors: Garcia
authors: Experimental Department, Donostia Universitary Hospital, P. Dr. Beguiristain 117, 20080 Donostia/San Sebastián, Spain.
authors: Ana Belén
authors: AB
authors: Asensio
authors: Liver Diseases Unit, Biodonostia Research Institute, P. Dr. Beguiristain s/n, 20014 Donostia/San Sebastián, Spain.
authors: Jesús
authors: J
authors: Banales
authors: Osatek, Donostia Universitary Hospital, P. Dr. Beguiristain 109, 20014 Donostia/San Sebastián, Spain.
authors: Emma
authors: E
authors: Salvador
authors: Policlínica Gipúzkoa, Paseo Miramón 174, 20014 Donostia/San Sebastián, Spain.
authors: Aranzazu
authors: A
authors: Moyua
authors: Radiology, Quirón Donostia Hospital, Alkolea Parkea 7, 20012 Donostia/San Sebastián, Spain.
authors: Xabier
authors: X
authors: Arozena
authors: Radiology, Quirón Donostia Hospital, Alkolea Parkea 7, 20012 Donostia/San Sebastián, Spain.
authors: Miguel
authors: M
authors: Zarco
authors: Onkologikoa, P. Dr. Beguiristain s/n, 20011 Donostia/San Sebastián, Spain.
authors: Lourdes
authors: L
authors: Jauregui
authors: Onkologikoa, P. Dr. Beguiristain s/n, 20011 Donostia/San Sebastián, Spain.
authors: Ohiana
authors: O
authors: Vicente
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D007501:Iron / Q000378:metabolism*; D008099:Liver / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D011859:Radiography; D015203:Reproducibility of Results
chemical_list: D007501:Iron