HEMOCHROMATOSIS---SQUID

Q.All are true regarding imaging of hepatic hemochromatosis except

a.Dual energy CT ia an accurate noninvasive means of measuring the liver iron concentration

b.Ferric iron causes extreme shortening  of T1 relaxation time

c.MRI can indicate cause of iron overload 

d.SQUID provides a quantitative estimate of liver iron

e.Amount of fibrosis can be reduced by iron depletion

ANS.---b

Ferric iron causes  shortening  of both T1 and T2 relaxation time.Although the effect on T1 is moderate ,there is extreme shortening of the T1 rate.

MRI can indicate cause of iron overload.In patients with genetic hemochromatosis,there is proportionately less deposition of iron in the reticuloendothelial system and more deposition in the parenchymal cells of organs than there is parenteral iron overload.Thus spleen usually exhibits a low signal intensity in parenteral iron overload and more signal intensity in genetic hemochromatosis.Pancreas and myocardium show a low signal in genetic hemochromatosis while theyshow normal signal in iron overload.