ObjectiveTo summarize the methods and research progress of imaging evaluation of liver iron concentration.MethodsThe current status and progress of different imaging techniques in liver iron overload research were reviewed by studying the relevant literatures at home and abroad. The methods for determining liver iron concentration and their advantages and disadvantages were summarized.ResultsThe imaging methods for determining liver iron concentration mainly included traditional non-enhanced CT and dual energy CT examination, magnetic resonance signal intensity ratio, relative signal intensity index, T2 and R2 values, magnetic resonance spectroscopy, T2* and R2* values, susceptibility weighted imaging, and quantitative susceptibility mapping.ConclusionLiver iron quantification imaging method, including dual-energy CT and magnetic resonance imaging could non-invasively and accurately assess the liver iron overload.
Magnetic induction method aims at the noninvasive detection of liver iron overload by measuring the hepatic magnetic susceptibility. To solve the difficulty that eddy current effects interfere with the measurement of magnetic susceptibility, we proposed an improved coil system based on the static field magnetization principle in this study. We used a direct current excitation to eliminate the eddy current effect, and a rotary receiver coil to get the induced voltage. The magnetic field for a cylindrical object due to the magnetization effect was calculated and the relative change of maximum induced voltage was derived. The correlation between magnetic susceptibility of object and maximum magnetic flux, maximum induced voltage and relative change of maximum induced voltage of the receiver coil were obtained by simulation experiments, and the results were compared with those of the theory calculation. The contrast shows that the simulation results fit the theory results well, which proves our method can eliminate the eddy current effect effectively.
