Ironic Blood

Ironic Blood

Editor Steve Barfield

FerriScan - A New Diagnostic Approach

An exciting new breakthrough technology in resonance imaging has been established and
it is called FerriScan. It is a MRI that is specific for iron. This new approach to seeing
excess iron in the body was developed by Joy Ho MD, a hematologist working in Western
Australia. This technology has already been approved and is in use throughout Europe and
the Middle East. This is a color-coded overlay that fits on top of most MRI units to assess
iron storage in the liver. Theoretically this new system can see iron overload in any organ or
tissues of the body. But initially it is only being used in the liver. Presently it is available in 36
locations around the world; ten of which are in the U.S. Most of the U.S. sites are involved
in clinical trials. This means, for U.S. patients, there would be no costs but there will be a
certain patient profile that investigators are seeking for participation.

FerriScan is a 20 minute pain-free, risk-free exam that can see into an entire organ rather
than the assay of a pin head's capture of liver tissue.

FerriScan has been touted as a replacement for liver biopsy. Of course our organization has
opposed liver biopsy, as a diagnostic tool, for over 20 years. An MRI that is specific for iron
overload can now peer into various organs of the body. This will be a final nail in the coffin
of liver biopsy. This further validates what IOD has been saying for all of those years. Brain,
heart, pancreas and thyroid the prospects for research are phenomenal. This is an innovative
use of hardware that is already in place and is easily adaptable for iron overload. To see our
" Objection to Liver Biopsy" click on the button at the bottom of this newsletter.

List of U.S. Locations:

Children's Hospital - Philadelphia, PA
Children's Hospital - Boston, MA
Children's Hospital - Los Angeles, CA
Children's Hospital - Oakland, CA
Ohio State University School of Medicine - Columbus, OH
Stanford University School of Medicine - Menlo Park, CA
Wayne State University School of Medicine - Detroit, MI
Cornel University School of Medicine - New York, NY
St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital - Houston, TX
University of Texas School Medicine - Houston, TX

Advantages for Clinician and Patient:

It will simplify the diagnostic process.
It will be non-invasively safer.
It will avoid delays in moving to essential treatment.
It will ultimately be cheaper and thus have a chance to serve more patients.
It will eventually see excess iron in other organs of the body.
It also can be used at the end of the treatment protocol to see how well it has worked.
There will be no need for an expensive tool-up.

This will be a major step forward in diagnosing hemochromatosis.

Objections to Liver Biopsy

www.ferriscan.com

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With subject suggestion for future newsletters contact the new editor: Steve Barfield at 561-586-8246

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