Liver,bone marrow,pancreas and pituitary gland iron overload in young and adult thalassemic patients: a T2 relaxometry study |
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Authors: | Maria I Argyropoulou Dimitrios N Kiortsis Loukas Astrakas Zafiria Metafratzi Nikolaos Chalissos Stavros C Efremidis |
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Institution: | (1) Department of Radiology, Medical School, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece;(2) Laboratory of Physiology, Medical School, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece |
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Abstract: | Thirty-seven patients with β-thalassemia major, including 14 adolescents (15.2 ± 3.0 years) and 23 adults (26.4 ± 6.9 years),
were studied. T2 relaxation time (T2) of the liver, bone marrow, pancreas and pituitary gland was measured in a 1.5-Tesla
magnetic resonance (MR) imager, using a multiecho spin-echo sequence (TR/TE 2,000/20, 40, 60, 80, 100, 120, 140, 160 ms).
Pituitary gland height was evaluated in a midline sagittal scan of a spin-echo sequence (TR/TE, 500/20 ms). The T2 of the
pituitary gland was higher in adolescents (59.4 ± 15 ms) than in adults (45.3 ± 10.4 ms), P < 0.05. The T2 of the pancreas was lower in adolescents (43.6 ± 10.3 ms) than in adults (54.4 ± 10.4 ms). No difference among
groups was found in the T2 of the liver and bone marrow. There was no significant correlation of the T2 among the liver, pancreas,
pituitary gland and bone marrow. There was no significant correlation between serum ferritin and T2 of the liver, pancreas
and bone marrow. Pituitary T2 showed a significant correlation with pituitary gland height (adolescents: R = 0.63, adults: R = 0.62, P < 0.05) and serum ferritin (adolescents: R = −0.60, adults: R = −0.50, P < 0.05). In conclusion, iron overload evaluated by T2 is organ specific. After adolescence, age-related T2 changes are predominantly
associated with pituitary siderosis and fatty degeneration of the pancreas. Pituitary size decreases with progressing siderosis. |
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Keywords: | β -Thalassemia major Reticuloendothelial system Pancreas Pituitary T2 relaxometry |
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