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MR imaging of spleen in beta-thalassemia major

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Abstract

Purpose

Splenomegaly and splenic siderosis are well-known findings in beta-thalassemia major. We explored the relation between splenic size, splenic and hepatic siderosis in transfusion-dependent beta-thalassemic patients, assessed by MR imaging.

Materials and methods

Abdominal MR imaging studies of 47 consecutive thalassemic patients and 10 healthy subjects, used as controls, were retrospectively reviewed. The signal intensity ratios of spleen and liver to the right paraspinous muscle (S/M, L/M, respectively) were calculated on T1, intermediate, and T2*-weighted gradient-echo sequences, splenic volume was estimated on axial images and serum ferritin levels were recorded.

Results

Decreased S/M on all MR sequences was displayed in 36 patients. Six patients presented with normal S/M on all MR sequences and 5 patients displayed splenic hypointensity only on T2* sequence. No correlation between S/M and L/M was found whereas both L/M and S/M correlated with serum ferritin (P < 0.03). Splenic volume correlated to L/M (P < 0.05) but not to S/M values.

Conclusion

In transfusion-dependent patients with beta-thalassemia, iron deposition in spleen cannot be predicted by the degree of hepatic siderosis, whereas splenomegaly relates to liver, but not splenic, iron overload. MR imaging can be a valuable tool in elucidating iron kinetics.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. 2nd Department of Radiology, Attikon Hospital, Athens, 12464, Greece

    Olympia Papakonstantinou

  2. Department of Radiology, University of Crete, Heraklion, Crete, Greece

    Eleni E. Drakonaki, Tomas Maris & Nicholas Gourtsoyiannis

  3. Thalassemia Unit, “Aghios Georgios” Hospital of Chania, Chania, Crete, Greece

    Artemis Vasiliadou

  4. Thalassemia Unit, “Venizelion” Hospital of Heraklion, Heraklion, Crete, Greece

    Alex Papadakis

Authors
  1. Olympia Papakonstantinou
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  2. Eleni E. Drakonaki
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  3. Tomas Maris
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  4. Artemis Vasiliadou
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  5. Alex Papadakis
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  6. Nicholas Gourtsoyiannis
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Correspondence to Olympia Papakonstantinou.

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Papakonstantinou, O., Drakonaki, E.E., Maris, T. et al. MR imaging of spleen in beta-thalassemia major. Abdom Imaging 40, 2777–2782 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00261-015-0461-5

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