Relationship between T2* magnetic resonance imaging-derived liver and heart iron content and serum ferritin levels in transfusion-dependent thalassemic children.

Context: T2* magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is being increasingly used for the assessment of organ iron content in thalassemics, but cost is a major prohibitive factor for repeated measurements. If serum ferritin correlates well with the T2* MRI liver and heart, it will be economical and more simple tool to assess organ iron deposition.

Aims: The aim of this study was to find out the relationship between serum ferritin level and T2* MRI-derived liver and heart iron content in transfusion-dependent thalassemic children.

Settings: Thalassemia day-care center of a teaching hospital.

Design: This was a cross-sectional study.

Subjects And Methods: Seventy-three transfusion-dependent beta thalassemic children belonging to 2-18 years of age were subjected to T2* MRI of heart and liver to assess their iron content. Values obtained here were related to serum ferritin.

Statistical Analysis Used: Keeping the correlation between serum ferritin and T2* MRI as primary outcome, spearman's correlation coefficient was calculated.

Results: We found poor (negative) correlation between serum ferritin level and T2* MRI liver ( = -0.448, = 0.000) but no correlation between serum ferritin and T2*MRI heart ( = -0.221, = 0.060).

Conclusions: Serum ferritin cannot reliably predict the liver and heart iron content in Indian children with β thalassemia.