Regional high iron deposition on quantitative susceptibility mapping correlates with cognitive impairment in patients with hemodialysis

Motivation: Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) often have brain iron overload and with cognitive impairment, so it is important to control clinical iron overload. Goal(s): To evaluate the changes of gray matter nucleus iron deposition in CKD patients, and analyze the correlation between iron deposition and cognitive function. Approach: Recruit CKD patients undergoing hemodialysis, non-hemodialysis patients and healthy controls. The magnetic susceptibility value of gray matter nuclei was measured by quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) and compare QSM data and cognitive scores among three groups. Results: Brain iron deposition is increased in CKD patients, especially in hemodialysis patients, and is related to cognitive function. Impact: Compared with full-structure analysis, regional analysis seems to be more sensitive to related changes. In addition, CKD patients were divided into groups to explore not only the effect of CKD on brain iron deposition, but also the role of hemodialysis.