Iron deposition in ovarian endometriosis evaluated by magnetic resonance imaging R2* correlates with ovarian function

Shumin Yan, Dong X, Xiaoyu Dong, Ding D, Dawei Ding, Xue J, Xue Jiao, Jiao Xue, Xinyu Wang, Wang X, Yufei Huang, Huang Y, Zangyu Pan, Pan Z, Sun H, Hao Sun, Qianhui Ren, Ren Q, Wenqiang Dou, Dou W, Ming Yuan, Wang F, Fang Wang, Wang G, Guoyun Wang
Reproductive biomedicine online · 2023 · vol. 47(3) , pp. 103231 · doi:10.1016/j.rbmo.2023.05.003 · PMID:37385897 · W4375945202
article OA: closed CC0 ⤵ 5 in-corpus citations
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⚙ AI-generated summary by claude@2026-06, 2026-06-08 ⓘ

This study used MRI R2* to evaluate iron deposition in ovarian endometriosis, finding a correlation between this deposition and ovarian function.

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Abstract

RESEARCH QUESTION: Does iron overload in patients with endometriosis affect ovarian function? Can a method be developed to visually reflect this? DESIGN: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) R2* was used to evaluate the correlation between iron deposition of ovarian and anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) in patients with endometriosis. All patients underwent T2* MRI scanning. Serum AMH levels were measured preoperatively. The area of focal iron deposition, iron content of the cystic fluid and AMH levels between the endometriosis and control groups were compared using non-parametric tests. The effects of iron overload on AMH secretion in mouse ovarian granulosa cells were investigated by adding different concentrations of ferric citrate to the medium. RESULTS: A significant difference was found between endometriosis and control groups in area of iron deposition (P < 0.0001), cystic fluid iron content (P < 0.0001), R2* of lesions (P < 0.0001) and R2* of the cystic fluid (P < 0.0001). Negative correlations were found between serum AMH levels and R2* of cystic lesions in patients with endometriosis aged 18-35 years (rs = -0.6484, P < 0.0001), and between serum AMH levels and R2* of cystic fluid (rs = -0.5074, P = 0.0050). Transcription level (P < 0.0005) and secretion level (P < 0.005) of AMH significantly decreased with the increase in iron exposure. CONCLUSION: Iron deposits can impair ovarian function, which is reflected in MRI R2*. Serum AMH levels and R2* of cystic lesions or fluid in patients aged 18-35 years had a negative correlation with endometriosis. R2* can be used to reflect the changes of ovarian function caused by iron deposition.

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Condition tags

endometriosis

MeSH descriptors

Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis

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Papers in the corpus that this work cites (lower rings, blue) and that cite this one (upper rings, green). Dot size scales with the paper's in-corpus citation count — bigger dot = more influential within the endo/adeno field. Click a dot to open that paper. [ expand to 2 hops ] — adds papers reached through this work's immediate citers/citees. Heavier; up to 60 extra dots.

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