title: R2*-relaxometry of the pancreas in patients with human hemochromatosis protein associated hereditary hemochromatosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate pancreatic iron in patients with human hemochromatosis protein associated hereditary hemochromatosis (HHC) using R2* relaxometry.
  
  
  METHODS
  81 patients (58 male, 23 female; median age 49.5, range 10-81 years) with HHC were retrospectively studied. All underwent 1.5T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the abdomen. A fat-saturated multi-gradient echo sequence with 12 echoes (TR=200ms; TE-initial 0.99ms; Delta-TE 1.41ms; 12 echoes; flip-angle: 20°) was used for the R2* quantification of the liver and the pancreas. Parameter maps were analyzed using regions of interest (3 in the liver and 2 in the pancreas) and R2* values were correlated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  59/81 patients had a liver R2*≥70 1/s of which 10/59 patients had a pancreas R2*≥50 1/s. No patient presented with a liver R2*<70 1/s and pancreas R2*≥50 1/s. All patients with pancreas R2* values≥50 1/s had liver R2* values≥70 1/s. ROC analysis resulted in a threshold of 209.4 1/s for liver R2* values to identify HFE positive patients with pancreas R2* values≥50 1/s with a median specificity of 78.87% and a median sensitivity of 90%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In patients with HHC R2* relaxometry of the pancreas should be performed when liver iron overload is present and can be omitted in cases with no sign of hepatic iron.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstraße 35, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria. Electronic address: benjamin.henninger@i-med.ac.at.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Henninger
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstraße 35, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rauch
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstraße 35, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zoller
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstraße 35, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Plaikner
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstraße 35, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Jaschke
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstraße 35, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kremser
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006432:Hemochromatosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D000071020:Hemochromatosis Protein / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D007501:Iron / Q000378:metabolism; D019190:Iron Overload / Q000473:pathology; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010179:Pancreas / Q000473:pathology*; D012372:ROC Curve; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: C103673:HFE protein, human; D000071020:Hemochromatosis Protein; D007501:Iron
keywords: Hereditary hemochromatosis; Iron; Pancreas; Relaxometry