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MRI Shows Excess Iron In Liver But Lab Work Shows Normal Liver. Meaning?

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Posted on Tue, 27 Aug 2013
Question: What does it mean when one Doctor does an MRI and tells you you have too much iron in your liver, and a week later another doctor does lab work and tells you your liver is normal?
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Answered by Dr. Amit Jain (5 days later)
Hello! Thanks for putting your query in XXXXXXX I am a Gastroenterologist (DM).

You haven't mentioned any symptoms you are having? Why MRI was done? What were lab tests and what was there report?

Latest MRI are sensitive for iron overload in liver. There are few conditions in which iron is found to be increase in liver like hemochromatosis, chronic liver disease and some congenital disease. Sometimes in hemochromatosis other liver function tests may be normal if picked up early like in you by MRI. So I will advise you to get your iron studies done like serum ferritin, TIBC, Transferrin saturation and other liver function tests (if not done). If iron load is identified the HFE analysis is required. So I will like you to visit a Gastroenterologist who will examine you and advise further.


I hope I have answered your query and this will help you. Remain in touch and get-well soon.
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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Answered by
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Dr. Amit Jain

Gastroenterologist

Practicing since :2000

Answered : 1524 Questions

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MRI Shows Excess Iron In Liver But Lab Work Shows Normal Liver. Meaning?

Hello! Thanks for putting your query in XXXXXXX I am a Gastroenterologist (DM).

You haven't mentioned any symptoms you are having? Why MRI was done? What were lab tests and what was there report?

Latest MRI are sensitive for iron overload in liver. There are few conditions in which iron is found to be increase in liver like hemochromatosis, chronic liver disease and some congenital disease. Sometimes in hemochromatosis other liver function tests may be normal if picked up early like in you by MRI. So I will advise you to get your iron studies done like serum ferritin, TIBC, Transferrin saturation and other liver function tests (if not done). If iron load is identified the HFE analysis is required. So I will like you to visit a Gastroenterologist who will examine you and advise further.


I hope I have answered your query and this will help you. Remain in touch and get-well soon.