Abstract #1764

MRI Relaxometry based Liver Iron Content Determination: Comparing Gradient-Echo R2* and Spin-Echo with respect to Age and Gender

Arthur Peter Wunderlich^1,2, Valeria Mauro¹, Meinrad Beer¹, Stefan Andreas Schmidt¹, and Holger Cario³

¹Dept. for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Ulm University, Medical Center, Ulm, Germany, ²Section for Experimental Radiology, Ulm University, Medical Center, Ulm, Germany, ³Clinic for Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Ulm University, Medical Center, Ulm, Germany

To address probable differences in signal characteristics between spin-echo (SE) and gradient-echo (GRE), 83 patients suspected for liver iron overload were investigated with 1.5 T MRI with the approved Ferriscan® method based on SE, and a prototype breathhold 3D GRE protocol employing parallel imaging with in-line R₂* calculation. R₂* values were correlated with reference LIC for all patients together and in subgroups according to age and gender. Highly significant differences (P=0.009) were found between males and females in the age range from 12 to 45 years, possibly reflecting different underlying iron storage mechanisms.

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