Severe sclerosis of the long bodies in sickle cell anemia.
In reviewing the radiographs of 102 patients with known sickle cell anemia, a 7% incidence (seven patients) of severe long-bone sclerosis was found. Of the affected patients 50% had homozygous sickle cell (SS) disease and 50% had sickle cell-hemoglobin C (SC) or S-thalassemia disease. No distinguishing radiographic features were found between these two groups. Those patients with SS disease and long-bone sclerosis were younger, had lower hemoglobin levels, and many more hospital admissions than those with SC or S-thalassemia disease and long-bone sclerosis. A review of the medical charts of these osteosclerotic patients with SS disease showed a probable positive correlation between infarctive episodes and hospital admissions in these patients. Therefore, patients with SS disease and severe long-bone sclerosis are seen much more frequently by the radiologist than those with SC or S-thalassemia and long-bone changes. These observations help negate any impression that severe long-bone sclerosis occurs frequently in and has a predilection for patients with homozygous SS disease.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000755:Anemia, Sickle Cell / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005260:Female; D005269:Femur / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005360:Fibula / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D006811:Humerus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010026:Osteosclerosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011859:Radiography