Methodologies and Tools Used Today for Measuring Iron Load

Iron overload is a matter of an extreme clinical importance, in the overall management of Thalassaemia. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), has evolved in a novel tool for iron quantification during the last decade and it is considered as a validated, accurate and noninvasive method with worldwide distribution. The MRI scanner exploits the intrinsic magnetic properties of the hydrogen nuclei in order to discriminate the tissue characteristics. The presence of iron in a tissue causes a faster dephasing of the protons and a reduction in T2* and T2. R2 and R2* represent the reciprocal of T2 and T2*. In order to measure the signal intensity and quantify iron concentration the Gradient Echo (GRE) T2* and the Spin Echo (SE) T2 sequence are used. There are two broad groups of techniques to quantify the iron. The signal intensity ratio (SIR) methods and the relaxometry methods. The later are sub grouped in the R2 (T2) relaxometry methods with the predominant of this category being the FerriScan® and the R2* (T2*) methods. CMR Gradient Echo T2* pulse sequence is the preferred technique for the quantification of iron in the heart. The R2 and R2* methodologies are both very accurate in predicting the true LIC with high levels of sensitivity and specificity in the range of clinically important LIC thresholds and can be both used over a wide clinical range, individually.