Use of fat suppression in R2 relaxometry with MRI for the quantification of tissue iron overload in beta-thalassemic patients

• Published in: Magnetic resonance imaging 2012-09, Vol.30 (7), p.926-933
• Main Authors: Papakonstantinou, Olympia, Foufa, Kostantina, Benekos, Odysseas, Alexopoulou, Efthymia, Mademli, Maria, Balanika, Alexia, Economopoulos, Nikos, Kelekis, Nikolaos L
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; beta-Thalassemia - complications; beta-Thalassemia - metabolism; beta-Thalassemia - pathology; Child; Fat suppression; Female; Humans; Intra-Abdominal Fat - metabolism; Intra-Abdominal Fat - pathology; Iron - metabolism; Iron overload; Iron Overload - complications; Iron Overload - metabolism; Iron Overload - pathology; Magnetic Resonance Imaging - methods; Male; MRI; R2 relaxometry; Radiology; Reproducibility of Results; Sensitivity and Specificity; Thalassemia; Tissue Distribution; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0730-725X; 1873-5894
• DOI: 10.1016/j.mri.2012.03.002

Abstract Purpose To assess the performance and results of R2 relaxometry using a fat-suppressed (FS) multiecho sequence and compare these to conventional R2 relaxometry in estimating tissue iron overload. Materials and Methods Relaxation rate values ( R2 =1/T2) of the liver, spleen, pancreas and vertebral bone marrow (VBM) were estimated in 21 patients with β-thalassemia major, using a respiratory-triggered 16-echo Carr-Purcell-Meiboom-Gill (CPMG) spin-echo sequence before ( R2 ) and after ( R2 FS) the application of chemically selective fat suppression. Results Hepatic and splenic R2 FS values correlated with respective R2 values ( r =0.98 and r =0.96, P