title: Breath-hold spin echosequence for assessing liver iron content.
abstract: To compare a multiple breath-hold, multiecho, multiplanar spin-echo (BHMEMPSE) magnetic resonance (MR) sequence with a TR of 300ms with a traditional multiecho, multiplanar spin-echo (MEMPSE) MR sequence for assessing liver iron content.
  
  
  
  This study was approved by the institutional review board; informed consent was waived. Liver R2 measurement was derived from the mono-exponential model by BHMEMPSE and MEMPSE MR sequences of a 1.5T MR machine in 30 thalassemia patients (9men, 21women, aged 27.7±6.8years). Hepatic iron contents were estimated using Ferriscan in all patients. The inter- and intra-observer agreement of the 2 MR sequences was also evaluated.
  
  
  
  MEMPSE R2 values significantly correlated with Ferriscan iron content values (r=0.895, p<0.001) and serum ferritin concentration (r=0.661, p<0.001). BHMEMPSE R2 values significantly correlated with Ferriscan values (r=0.914, p<0.001) and serum ferritin concentration (r=0.608, p<0.001). The distribution of MEMPSE R2 values against BHMEMPSE R2 values revealed an excellent linear relationship (r=0.978, p<0.001). The inter- and intra-observer agreement of the 2 MR sequences was excellent, with an interclass correlation coefficient exceeding 0.9. The distribution of Ferriscan against BHMEMPSE R2 values revealed a curvilinear relationship (r=0.935, p<0.001).
  
  
  
  The BHMEMPSE sequence exhibited comparable estimation for assessing liver iron content, comparable repeatability and a shorter acquisition time compared with the MEMPSE sequence. The BHMEMPSE sequence can serve as an adjunctive sequence to assess liver iron content.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering and the College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Medical Imaging, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Radiology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Chu-Tung Branch, Hsinchu, Taiwan; Department of Radiology, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Justin Cheng-Ta
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Meng-Yao
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering and the College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Fu-Shan
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Jaw
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Imaging, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Radiology, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan. Electronic address: sfpeng@ntuh.gov.tw.
authors.forename: Steven Shinn-Forng
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Imaging, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Radiology, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Medical Imaging, Taipei City Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Tiffany Ting-Fang
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Shih
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D062485:Breath Holding; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007501:Iron / Q000378:metabolism*; D008099:Liver / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D015588:Observer Variation; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D007501:Iron
keywords: Liver iron concentration; Magnetic resonance imaging; Spin echo; Thalassemia