Assessment of Cardiac, Hepatic and Pancreatic Iron Overload in Transfusion Dependent Thalassemia Patients Using T2*...

Area of Science:

• Hematology
• Radiology
• Pediatrics

Background:

• Transfusion-dependent thalassemia (TDT) necessitates regular blood transfusions, leading to iron overload.
• Monitoring iron levels is crucial for managing TDT complications.
• T2* MRI offers a non-invasive method to assess organ iron burden.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate iron overload in young TDT patients using T2* MRI.
• To correlate T2* MRI findings with serum ferritin levels.
• To determine the prevalence of hepatic, cardiac, and pancreatic iron overload.

Main Methods:

• Prospective study of 193 young TDT patients (ages 3-38) undergoing regular transfusions.
• T2* MRI performed to assess liver, cardiac, and pancreatic iron concentrations.
• Serum ferritin levels measured and correlated with T2* MRI data.

Main Results:

• Severe hepatic iron overload detected in 47.6% of patients.
• Cardiac iron overload present in 32.6% of patients, with 16.1% severe.
• Pancreatic iron overload observed in 52.4% of patients.
• Strong negative correlation between serum ferritin and liver T2* (r value not provided).
• Moderate negative correlation between serum ferritin and cardiac T2* (r value not provided).
• Significant association between pancreatic iron overload and age (P=0.001).

Conclusions:

• T2* MRI is effective in quantifying iron overload in TDT patients.
• Serum ferritin levels correlate with organ iron burden, particularly in the liver and heart.
• Age is a significant factor in pancreatic iron accumulation in TDT.