MRI of cardiac iron overload

Transfusion therapy has greatly improved the survival of transfusion dependent thalassemia major (TM) patients; however, the resultant iron load damages tissues including the heart, liver and endocrine organs. Among these, heart complication still remains the leading cause of mortality. Myocardial iron deposition can occur independently of other solid organ involvement; conversely, the heart may be spared despite heavy siderosis in other tissues. Iron chelation treatment diminishes the risk of hemosiderosis; however, the chelation treatment has its own toxicities and might not be available to all patients due to costs. Close monitoring of individual organ iron concentration and function is thus important for optimization of individual patient care. This review outlines the importance and clinical significance of recently available MRI techniques for monitoring cardiac iron load.