Quantitative measurement R2* in cirrhotic liver: correlation with level of serum ferritin
TAO Ran1, CUI Jin-guo1, ZHANG Jiu-quan2, WANG Jian2
1. Department of Radiology, Bethune International Peace Hospital of People’s Liberation Army, Shijiazhuang 050082, China;2. Department of Radiology, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China
Abstract：Objective: Quantitative measurement of R2* in cirrhotic liver with MR multi-echo T2* sequence, and analyze its relationship with concentration of serum ferritin. Materials and Methods: Thirty-two healthy individuals and 42 patients with hepatic cirrhosis after chronic type B hepatitis and alcoholic cirrhosis had MR multi-echo T2* examination. The blood sample of patients was collected to assay concentration of serum ferritin. The SPIN software was used to measure the T2* value in health participants and cirrhotic patients. R2* value, which was the reciprocal of T2* value, was used to perform Pearson correlation analysis with serum ferritin concentration. Results: R2* value of healthy individuals and liver cirrhotic patients was (67.02±12.32) Hz, and (85.30±28.48) Hz, respectively. Independent sample t test showed significant difference between the two groups. The serum ferritin concentration of liver cirrhotic patients was (165.5±104.4) ng/mL. R2* value had significant correlation with serum ferritin concentrations in 42 patients (r=0.710, P=0.000). Conclusion: R2* value was higher significantly in liver cirrhotic patients than that in healthy individuals, and had significant correlation with serum ferritin concentrations. It could be used for non-invasive quantitative measurement of the iron deposition in hepatic cirrhosis in vivo.
2012, Vol. 23 
