ferriscan article cost $300 per scan

Non-invasive imaging of liver iron to allow precise diagnosis of iron overload: cost, $300 per "Ferriscan®"
Iron overload leads to many problems, including a shortened survival for children with thalassemia. Humans have no mechanism for eliminating excess iron. Excess iron is accumulated from transfused blood which, paradoxically, is the key to maintaining survival in thalassemia. In other words, transfusions treat the primary problem of thalassemia – that is, severe anemia -- but create a second disease: that is, iron overload. Excess iron is potentially lethal to body organs, including the liver and heart, and if not adequately treated, results in failure of these organs, and premature death. Blood tests are generally not precise in the assessment of iron overload, and reliance on them can result in "over" treatment in which body iron is driven too low, resulting in side effects; or "under" treatment in which iron remains too high, and the child remains at risk for liver and heart failure. There is only one way reliably and precisely to determine the level of iron in a child's body: assessment of the concentration of iron in the liver. A liver imaging test known as Ferriscan®, developed by Professor Tim St Pierre (School of Physics, University of Western Australia) was made available in Colombo, Sri Lanka, after years of effort by Hemoglobal and precisely, non-invasively, and accurately measures liver iron without discomfort to the child. Professor St Pierre has donated his time to help provide Ferriscans® to as many children in Sri Lanka as possible. A gift of Canadian $300 covers all expenses associated with Ferriscan® imaging for one child, and most children will require a Ferriscan® about every three years. This $300 is therefore a very important and cost-effective gift which allows doctors to precisely tailor treatment to each child, and improve the chances for long-term survival without complications. This test may save a child's life.