Evaluation of cardiac iron deposition in thalassemia children

Background: Beta thalassemia is a common cause of anemia and associated with multiple blood transfusion. One of the commonest adverse events of multiple blood transfusion is iron deposition in soft tissues including myocardial muscle. MRI T2* is a very sensitive and non- invasive technique in detection of cardiac problems. Purpose: To evaluate the role of cardiac MRI in detection of myocardium iron deposition among beta thalassemia patients.Methods: This cross- sectional study included 50 thalassemia children who were recruited from El- Tadamon Hospital. All patients were examined by echocardiography and cardiac MRI.Results: The study included 50 thalassemia children with mean age 11.5 ± 3.3 years and female predominance. All patients received multiple blood transfusion for mean duration 6.6 ± 3.3 years and at frequency 8.5 ± 3.5 times per year. Echocardiography revealed presence of dilated right ventricle on 46% and dilated left ventricle in 48%. MRI findings revealed right ventricle was dilated in 52% of cases and left ventricle was dilated in 40% of cases. In comparison of MRI and Echo, both groups were comparable regarding detection of right and left ventricle dilatation with good sensitivity and specificity however, MRI overestimated ejection fraction with statistically significant difference. According to cardiac T2* MRI, patients were divided into patients with no cardiac iron deposition including 42 patients and 8 patients with iron deposition. Both groups were compared.Conclusion: Cardiac MRI is a good tool in detection of cardiac iron deposition among thalassemia patients.