Information on FerriScan measurement of liver iron concentration

Hi Everyone.
Many thanks to Andy for providing a FerriScan board.
FerriScan is a non-invasive R2-MRI service for measuring liver iron overload that many of you may already be familiar with. It is becoming more widely available and  has largely taken over from liver biopsy in some parts of the world. If anyone has any questions regarding FerriScan or its availability please send them my way.
Our website  www.ferriscan.com has a lot of information you may find useful as a starting point.

Welcome Wendy! We are very happy to have such a great resource made available.

Members do not hesitate to ask your questions about monitoring liver iron concentration.

Hi WendyW
My T2* Score
Heart Severe= 7.1
Liver Severe= 370
Dharmesh

At what age do they usually start this? My daughter will be 2 on August 5th and we are meeting with the doctors to discuss her chelation. We go to the Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia

Hi JV
Two years old is fine for FerriScan, although it is very likely your daughter would need to be anaesthetised. Patients don't need to do any breath-holds for this technique , but they do need to lie very still for the 10-minute scan time. CHoP are very experienced with FerriScan so the staff will know just what to do. Hope all goes well with your meeting with the doctor.

Thanks Wendy..will let you know what happens

On the topic of the prospect of putting fearful little people through MRI machines, I just wanted to share with you this link about some wonderful creativity than has transformed scanners at University of Pittsbrugh Medical Center.. http://www.healthymagination.com/stories/pediatric-adventures/

Hi Wendy,

My daugther is scheduled to have her third ferriscan in September 2012 at sickkids, Toronto. She had her previous two ferriscans in 2010 and 2011. The results were very favourable, however, my understanding is that the programs used in measuring the LIC through ferriscan machines is designed for adults. When it comes to children, the program needs to be adjusted to 'ESTIMATE' the LIC, it is not a perfect score.

Please advise.

Hi there
Thanks for the question. I'm happy to assure you that there is no difference at all in the way that LIC is calculated from FerriScan image data between adults and children. The calculation of LIC is performed by highly trained and experienced analysts at our central facility and the high degree of accuracy in the LIC obtained is exactly the same for all patients regardless of age and size. The calibration curve used for this calculation has been validated on both adult and pediatric patients down to three years old, so you can continue to have confidence in your daughter's FerriScan results.
I hope her positive trend continues in September.
All the best

Thanks for the info.

Appreciate it...

Hi Wendy
I need to get my FerriScan done and I am from India. According to the site, the scan is also done in Dubai and in 2 Hospitals. I have my sister there and she says that they dont do it there - Thats what she was told when she went there.
Can you help me with this as I can just manage to go to Dubai for the scan and its not yet available in India.

In India,
MRI for Cardiac and Liver Iron Assessement (T2*MRI) is done for Thalassemia Protocol at various centres in delhi, mumbai and ahmedabad.

Liver iron also gets measured by this MRI.

Hi
I am looking for FerriScan and not T2* MRI. Ferriscan is a more accurate way of measuring the dry weight of iron in the liver.

Ok.
All the best

Thanks