title: Adrenal glands in beta-thalassemia major: magnetic resonance (MR) imaging features and correlation with iron stores.
abstract: This study aimed at describing the magnetic resonance (MR) imaging features of the adrenal glands in beta-thalassemic patients and at investigating the relation between adrenal and hepatic siderosis. Adrenal signal intensity (SI) was retrospectively assessed on abdominal MR studies of 35 patients with beta-thalassemia major undergoing quantification of hepatic siderosis and 12 healthy controls, using T1-(120/4/90), intermediate-(120/4/20), and T2*-(120/15/20) weighted GRE sequences. Adrenal SI was graded as grade 0 (normal SI on all sequences), grade 1 (hypointensity on T2* alone), or grade 2 (hypointensity on at least T2*). Adrenal size was measured in the thalassemic patients and compared with normative data. Liver-to-muscle (L/M) SI ratios, expressing hepatic siderosis, were estimated on each sequence. Serum ferritin levels were recorded. Adrenal hypointensity (grades 1 and 2) was noted in 24/35 (68.6%) patients. L/M ratios correlated significantly with adrenal SI in all sequences. Patients with grade 1 and grade 2 adrenal SI had significantly decreased L/M ratios compared with grade 0. Serum ferritin correlated significantly with L/M values but not with adrenal SI. Adrenal size was within normal limits. Diffuse hypointensity in normal-sized adrenals is a common MR finding in beta-thalassemic patients and correlates with the degree of hepatic siderosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University Hospital of Heraklion, Stavrakia, P.O. Box 1325, 71110, Heraklion, Crete, Greece. drakonaki@yahoo.gr
authors.forename: Eleni
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Drakonaki
authors.forename: Olympia
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Papakonstantinou
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Maris
authors.forename: Artemis
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vasiliadou
authors.forename: Alex
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Papadakis
authors.forename: Nicholas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gourtsoyiannis
mesh_terms: D000307:Adrenal Gland Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019190:Iron Overload / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D017086:beta-Thalassemia / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*