Cardiac and Hepatic T2*-Weighted Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Transfusion Dependent Hemoglobinopathy in North West of Iran

BACKGROUND: Iron overload is the main transfusion related side effects in patients with transfusion dependent hemoglobinopathies. Severe iron deposition in tissues leads to organ dysfunction. Many organs can be affected such as heart, liver, and endocrine organs. Cardiac failure and liver fibrosis are the consequent of Iron overload in transfusion dependent hemoglobinopathy. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is a safe, noninvasive, and accurate method for the assessment of iron deposition in different tissues. This study assessed iron levels in liver and heart of the patients with transfusion dependent hemoglobinopathies. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The studied population consisted of 12 patients (7 male and 5 female) with transfusion dependent hemoglobinopathies, aged between 10-18 years old. Then, Cardiac and liver T2*- weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were obtained. RESULTS: In current study, 1patient (8.33%) had severe, 2 patients (16.66%) had moderate and 2(16.66%) had mild cardiac iron deposition. Out of 12 patients, 1 had severe iron deposition in liver (8.33%), 5(41.66%) and 4(33.33%) had moderate and mild hepatic iron deposition, respectively. Differences between Hepatic and cardiac iron levels were not significant between males and females (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: Since cardiac and liver iron levels were higher than normal in most of the study group, checking ferritin level and liver function test and also echocardiography in shorter intervals (each 3 months) in involved group is suggested instead of checking routinely in 6 month intervals in patients with transfusion dependent hemoglobinopathies.