MR imaging technique for the diagnosis of pituitary iron overload in patients with transfusion-dependent beta-thalassemia major

To identify the optimal MR imaging technique for diagnosing pituitary iron overload, we compared spin-echo and gradient-echo MR imaging with measureme nts of pituitary T2 relaxation times in 30 patients with secondary hemochro matosis due to transfusion-dependent P-thalassemia major and in 10 healthy volunteers. We found that the optimal MR imaging technique to evaluate pitu itary iron overload is the gradient-echo T2*-weighted technique, as it best demonstrated signal reduction in the anterior lobe of the pituitary gland.