Iron storage in liver, bone marrow and splenic Gaucheroma reflects residual disease in type 1 Gaucher disease patients on treatment.

Abstract

Gaucher disease (GD) is a lysosomal storage disorder characterized by the storage of glycosphingolipids in macrophages. Despite effective therapy, residual disease is present in varying degrees and may be associated with late complications, such as persistent bone or liver disease and increased cancer risk. Gaucher macrophages are capable of storing iron and locations of residual disease may thus be detectable with iron imaging. Forty type 1 GD (GD1) patients and 40 matched healthy controls were examined using a whole-body magnetic resonance imaging protocol consisting of standard sequences, allowing analysis of iron content per organ, expressed as R2* (Hz). Median R2* values were significantly elevated in GD1 patients as compared to healthy controls in liver [41Hz (range 29-165) vs. 38Hz (range 28-53), P<0·01], femoral bone marrow [54Hz (range 37-129) vs. 49Hz (range 39-69), P=0·036] and vertebral bone marrow (118Hz (range 82-210) vs. 105Hz (range 76-149), P<0·01). In the spleen, primarily focal Gaucher lesions known as Gaucheroma were found to have increased R2* values. R2* values of liver, spleen and vertebral bone marrow strongly correlated with serum ferritin levels. GD1 patients with persistent hyperferritinaemia demonstrate increased iron levels in liver and bone marrow, which may carry a risk for liver fibrosis and cancer.