MRI Evaluation of Hepatic Iron Overload in Chronically Transfused β- Thalassemic Children

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Department of Interventional and Diagnostic Radiology, National Liver Institute, Menoufia University, Shebin Elkom, Menoufia, Egypt.

2 Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Menoufia University, Shebin Elkom, Menoufia, Egypt.

Abstract

Background: Iron overload results from the frequent blood transfusions required for patients with chronic hemolytic anemia, such as thalassemia. MRI has become a popular noninvasive method for evaluating iron overload in different tissues.
The aim of study: was to evaluate the utility of magnetic resonance imaging [MRI] in assessing hepatic iron overload in children who were receiving several transfusions and to establish a correlation between the findings and serum ferritin levels.
Patients and Methods: 30 cases of Mult transfused children with thalassemia were included in this cross-sectional investigation. Serum ferritin, a standard biomarker of iron overload, was compared to liver iron concentration [LIC], which was determined by MRI T2*.
Results: Serum ferritin and LIC showed a strong positive correlation [r=0.575 and p<0.001].  Furthermore, there was a strong negative correlation between LIC and T2* [r=-0.565 and p<0.001]. However, there was no statistically significant association found between LIC and age, sex, splenectomy, or frequency of blood transfusions.
Conclusions: Tissue iron concentration can be measured accurately, consistently, and non-invasively by MRI T2*. The management of tissue iron overload should be improved by the widespread use of this approach, enabling earlier chelation intensification.

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