Role of MRI in Assessment of Iron Overload in Patients with Thalassemia
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- Category: Vol. 85, September 2017
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Role of MRI in Assessment of Iron Overload in Patients with Thalassemia, HOSSAM M. MOSTAFA, MOUSTAFA H.M. OTHMAN, SHERIF M. ABD ELAL and KHALED I. ABD EL-RAHMAN
Abstract
Introduction: Iron overload in patients with thalassemia is a common feature which leads to severe cardiopulmonary, liver and other major organ dysfunctions. Estimation of iron overload by serum ferritin is not a specific marker. T2* magnetic resonance imaging MRI technique is a valid, non-invasive, highly sensitive and reproducible method for assess-ing iron overloading and in tailoring of chelation regimes.
Patients and Methods: In our study, we had 40 patients; all patients underwent clinical assessment, laboratory inves-tigations and MRI examination. Cardiac and hepatic iron measurement by MRI was performed for all patients.
Results: There was moderate significant positive correla-tion between hepatic and cardiac iron deposition (r=0.61, p= 0.003). Also, there was a moderate negative correlation between serum ferritin and liver MRI T2* relaxation time (r= –0.45) and a moderate negative correlation between serum ferritin and heart MRI T2* relaxation time (r=–0.38). Routine evaluation of liver and heart iron content using MRI T2* is suggested to better evaluate the hemosiderosis status in thalassemia patients.
Conclusion: MRI T2* is rapid, non-invasive, highly sensitive method for assessing iron overload in patients with Thalassemia.