The Thalassaemia International Federation (TIF), a leading patient organisation in the field of iron overload, has issued a Media Release and Clinical Alert to warn of the dangers of an unsafe magnetic resonance imaging T2* technique that is used widely for the assessment of iron overload. TIF emphasise the critical need to use validated techniques, specifically referencing Resonance Health whose regulatory cleared FerriScan(R) R2-MRI is the globally recognised gold standard for the assessment of iron overload.
The Media Release and Clinical Alert warns "The Thalassaemia International Federation (TIF) is now urging all hospitals and centres using non-regulated or non-calibrated MRI methods to measure LIC, to review their techniques and re-call patients, at least those whose clinical status mandates the need for accurate measurement of liver iron content, to proceed to the measurement by a validated method."
Panos Englezos, George Constantinou, and Dr Eletheriou, from TIF commented:
"TIF feels strongly that the issue of iron monitoring by MRI should be given immediate and serious attention and priority by all involved in the care of these patients so that patients' rights for access to quality healthcare services cease to be violated…"
"We urge all centres and health care professionals to ensure that they are using only validated techniques. TIF is seeking collaboration with all Governments, other involved stakeholders, the industry, and in particular Resonance Health, who at the moment are providing the only validated tool to date, so as to identify ways to expand to the maximum access of its patients for LIC measurements globally.
TIF has been also informed that Resonance Health have now developed a prototype for a new affordable MRI test and it is within our scope to partner with Resonance Health to expedite the development and access pathways for this new test that would offer a solution for those centres with very large numbers of patients, in economically disadvantaged regions to enable access to a reliable and validated MRI technique."
Resonance Health's General Manager, Sander Bangma, stated:
TIF's support for Resonance Health (ASX:RHT) will expedite the development and access pathways for the rollout of a safe and affordable artificial intelligence iron overload measurement tool to developing nations, in which cost is a barrier to FerriScan use.

Source: MENA