A pilot MRI study of organ specific hemosiderosis and functional correlation in Chinese patients with myelodysplasia and aplastic anemia with raised ferritin levels

We performed MRI and endocrine assessment in 27 adult Chinese patients with severe aplastic anemia (SAA) and myelodysplasia (MDS). Despite high ferritin levels, cardiac hemosiderosis and heart failure was not common, and were not concordant in most cases. However, significant correlation was found between cardiac T2/T2* MRI assessment, ejection fraction and ferritin levels. Furthermore, there was a high incidence subclinical pancreatic abnormality that was related to liver MRI T2* readings. Hence, chelating agents may still have a role to improve organ function. Prospective data with serial functional and imaging monitoring is needed.