Experimental Liver Iron Measurement with the SQUID Gradiometer System

An experimental system for noninvasive measurement of the iron stores in the liver of living human organism has been designed and realized. This system enables to test the presence and to determine the iron concentration in this organ. The principle of operation is based on measurement of small response (magnetic moment) of the paramagnetic protein ferritin to the applied magnetic field on the complex diamagnetic background of other body organs. The experiment was performed by modified SQUID system with the 2nd order gradiometer. At present, the sensitivity of the system is 1 mg Fe per gram of the wet liver, which from the point of view of clinical diagnostics, enables to indicate the state of the liver iron overload, e.g., in hemochromatosis and hemosiderosis.