The "lamellated" skull in beta-thalassaemia.
The skull in homozygous beta-thalassaemia may present several abnormalities, such as osteopenia, widening of the diploic space, and a "hair-on-end" appearance. In some cases it presents also a particular stratified appearance caused by a variable number of osseous lamellae, parallel with the inner table. This "lamellated skull" was observed in 16 out of 150 patients affected by the disease (10.6%). Possible mechanisms are discussed. The lamellar osseous changes could be due to repeated periosteal osteoblastic reactions to the sinusoidal neovascularization associated with marrow hyperplasia in poorly transfused patients.
Orzincolo
C
C
Department of Radiology, St. Anna Hospital, Ferrara, Italy.
Castaldi
G
G
Scutellari
P N
PN
Franceschini
F
F
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006720:Homozygote; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011859:Radiography; D012886:Skull / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D013789:Thalassemia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000235:genetics