59Fe ferrokinetic study: a comparison between conventional and scintigraphic methods

Quantitative sequential scintigrams together with a few blood samples can advantageously replace the heavy methodology of conventional 59Fe ferrokinetic study. The visualization of all erythropoietic sites, the easy examination, and the quickness of obtaining results lead to a very fast interpretation of the scintigraphic examination which involves two 59Fe scannings, the correction by means of one 99mTc labelled erythrocyte scanning, and the measurement of the plasma 59Fe half-time (T1/2), the plasma iron turnover (PIT) and the red blood cell iron utilization (RBCU). This procedure can be applied to most of the clinical studies of iron metabolism. In cases of important hyperhemolysis, a further study seems to be useful. The conventional method is still interesting, even if it is heavy, in very precise cases, when a ferrokinetic study is required