PIONEERING LIVER IRON TEST HERALDS NEW ERA FOR DIAGNOSIS

FerriScan, a pioneering liver-iron test is providing a new solution to the long-standing issue of diagnosing and monitoring iron loading diseases – providing gastroenterologists with a more accurate, non-invasive test using advanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) technology.

Diseases such as hereditary haemochromatosis and transfusional iron overload are amongst the world’s most common medical conditions, with approximately 11 million people worldwide with clinically significant iron loading who warrant diagnosis and treatment. The award-winning FerriScan test which measures liver iron concentration, is set to meet this substantial global need. With current procedures such as blood tests and liver needle biopsy failing to meet requirements for effective diagnosis and management of iron overload, FerriScan, provides a unique solution in the search for a non-invasive, more accurate and pain-free procedure. The advanced technology uses MRI images to provide a definitive measurement of iron concentration throughout the liver boosting health outcomes for patients and providing substantial clinical benefits by assisting in design of individually tailored treatment plans. Professor John Olynyk, senior gastroenterologist at Fremantle Hospital, Australia is among many specialists who have hailed the test as an important advance in managing iron overload patients and assisting in the risk assessment of fibrosis for newly diagnosed hereditary haemochromatosis patients. John Olynyk, who has published over 90 peer reviewed papers in international journals, explained;”With up to 13% of the Australian adult population having elevated serum biochemical iron studies, resolving whether a patient has clinically relevant iron overload or not becomes a fairly commonplace issue – a new non invasive diagnostic and measurement technique such as FerriScan will be of benefit to clinicians not only in determining the severity or presence of excessive iron stores but in optimising treatment plans.”Pioneered by a team of multi-talented specialists led by Associate Professor Tim St Pierre at the University of Western Australia, FerriScan is a result of extensive research and trials and has scooped national awards for bio-tech innovation during its development. Now available at a growing number of radiology centres with patients being referred for the test from all over the world, FerriScan has gained regulatory clearance in Australia, the US, UK and Europe and sparked international acclaim in medical circles. For more information about FerriScan, including how to refer patients and your nearest available site please visit www.ferriscan.com.