Role of liver magnetic resonance imaging in hyperferritinaemia and the diagnosis of iron overload.

Role of liver magnetic resonance imaging in hyperferritinaemia and the diagnosis of iron overload. Swiss Med Wkly. 2017 Nov 09;147:w14550 Authors: Ruefer A, Bapst C, Benz R, Bremerich J, Cantoni N, Infanti L, Samii K, Schmid M, Vallée JP Abstract Hyperferritinaemia is a frequent clinical problem. Elevated serum ferritin levels can be detected in different genetic and acquired diseases and can occur with or without anaemia. It is therefore important to determine whether hyperferritinaemia is due to iron overload or due to a secondary cause. The main causes of iron overload are intestinal iron hyperabsorption disorders and transfusion-dependent disorders. Iron homeostasis and iron overload are quantified by different diagnostic approaches. The evaluation of serum ferritin and transferrin saturation is the first diagnostic step to identify the cause of hyperferritinaemia. The assessment of liver iron concentration by liver biopsy or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may guide the further diagnostic and therapeutic workup. Liver biopsy is invasive and poorly accepted by patients and should only be carried out in selected patients with hereditary haemochromatosis. As a non-invasive approach, MRI is considered the standard method to diagnose and to monitor both hepatic iron overload and the effectiveness of iron chelation therapy in many clinical conditions such as thalassaemia and myelodysplastic syndromes. Accurate evaluation and monitor...
Source: Swiss Medical Weekly - Category: General Medicine Authors: Tags: Swiss Med Wkly Source Type: research