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 (r = -0.448, P = 0.000) but no correlation between serum ferritin and T2*MRI heart (r = -0.221, P = 0.060). Conclusions Serum ferritin cannot reliably predict the liver and heart iron content in Indian children with β thalassemia.