Narrative review of magnetic resonance imaging in quantifying liver iron load

Abstract

ObjectiveTo summarize the research progress of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in quantifying liver iron load.MethodsTo summarize the current status and progress of MRI technology in the quantitative study of liver iron load through reviewing the relevant literature at home and abroad.ResultsDifferent MRI sequence examination techniques have formed a series of non-invasive methods for the examination of liver iron load. These techniques have important clinical significance in the imaging diagnosis of liver iron load. So far, the main MRI methods used to assess liver iron load are: signal intensity measurement method (signal intensity, SI) [signal intensity ratio (SIR) and difference in in-phase and out-of-phase signal intensity], T2/R2 measurement (such as FerriScan technique), ultra-short echo time (UTE) imaging technique, and susceptibility weighted imaging (including conventional susceptibility weighted imaging) (SWI), quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM), T2*/R2* measurement, Dixon and its derivative techniques.ConclusionMRI has become the first choice for the non-invasive examination of liver iron overload, and it is helpful to improve the early detection of liver injury, liver fibrosis, liver cirrhosis and liver cancer caused by liver iron overload.

Revolutionizing disease diagnosis and management: Open-access magnetic resonance imaging datasets a challenge for artificial intelligence driven liver iron quantification

“…Serum ferritin is an acute phase reactant protein, elevated in inflammation and distressed patients, therefore, it might give wrong impression about body iron[ 2 , 3 ]. Noninvasive procedures are increasingly utilized for quantifying and assessing body iron load, and MRI is the best noninvasive examination of the liver for quantifying iron in iron-overloaded patients and helps in the early detection of liver fibrosis, liver cirrhosis, and liver cancer induced by iron overload[ 4 ]. MRI is a major diagnostic imaging modality that has been applied and leveraged for the diagnosis and detection of various diseases.…”

“…MRI is a major diagnostic imaging modality that has been applied and leveraged for the diagnosis and detection of various diseases. It is characterized by high structural specificity and many different windows, each of which is used to visualize different structural differences, some of which are computer reconstructions[ 4 ]. However, routine blood tests are widely used owing to their cost-effectiveness compared to MRI, which has low sensitivity and specificity compared to MRI in sick patients[ 2 ].…”