SQUID MRI – pro
The SQUID has been validated by experiments showing excellent correlation with biopsy-determined LIC). Some technical challenges may remain, eg: measuring liver susceptibility in obese patients with a large volume of subcutaneous fat between the detector and the liver (47). However, the main limitation on the use of this device is its high cost and very limited availability, with only four devices currently available in the world. For these reasons, SQUID biosusceptometry is currently not widely used for liver iron quantification in clinical practice.
Since 2002 the SQUID biosusceptometer at UCSF children’ Hospital & Research Center Oakland is the only technique dedicated to the measurement of iron concentration in the liver (and spleen), vital information in the management of a variety of diseases including: hemochromatosis, myelodysplasia, sickle cell disease (SCD), thalassemia (that) and other heavily transfused populations. Iron overload can lead to multiple complications.
Considering the rarity of this technique and inabiity to study it in different populations, it remains an investigtional technique.
Diego Hernando, Yakir S Levin et al, Quantification of Liver Iron with MRI: State of the Art and Remaining Challenges. J Magn Reson Imaging. 2014 Nov; 40(5): 10031021.
Hathaway, Helen J.; Butler, Kimberly S.; Adolphi, Natalie L.; Lovato, Debbie M.; Belfon, Robert; Fegan, Danielle; Monson, Todd C.; Trujillo, Jason E.; Tessier, Trace E. (2011-01-01). “Detection of breast cancer cells using targeted magnetic nanoparticles and ultra-sensitive magnetic field sensors”. Breast Cancer Research. 13: R108.
Guidelines for the Management of Transfusion Dependent Thalassaemia (TDT) [Internet]. 3rd edition.Cappellini MD, Cohen A, Porter J, et al., editors.
Nicosia (CY): Thalassaemia International Federation; 2014.