The pancreas in beta-thalassemia major: MR imaging features and correlation with iron stores and glucose disturbances.
The study aims at describing the MR features of pancreas in beta-thalassemia major, investigating the relations between MR findings and glucose disturbances and between hepatic and pancreatic siderosis. Signal intensity ratios of the pancreas and liver to right paraspinous muscle (P/M, L/M) were retrospectively assessed on abdominal MR imaging studies of 31 transfusion-dependent patients with beta-thalassemia major undergoing quantification of hepatic siderosis and 10 healthy controls, using T1- (120/4/90), intermediate in and out of phase - (120/2.7, 4/20), and T2*-(120/15/20) weighted GRE sequences. Using the signal drop of the liver and pancreas on opposed phase images, we recorded serum ferritin and results of oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). Decreased L/M and P/M on at least the T2* sequence were noticed in 31/31 and 30/31 patients, respectively, but no correlation between P/M and L/M was found. Patients with pathologic OGTT displayed a higher degree of hepatic siderosis (p < 0.04) and signal drop of pancreas on opposed phase imaging (p < 0.025), implying fatty replacement of pancreas. P/M was neither correlated with glucose disturbances nor serum ferritin. Iron deposition in the pancreas cannot be predicted by the degree of hepatic siderosis in beta-thalassemia major. Fatty replacement of the pancreas is common and may be associated with glucose disturbances.
Papakonstantinou
Olympia
O
Department of Radiology, University Hospital of Heraklion, Medical School of Crete, Heraklion, Crete, Greece. olypapak@hotmail.com
Ladis
Vasilios
V
Kostaridou
Stavroula
S
Maris
Thomas
T
Berdousi
Helen
H
Kattamis
Christos
C
Gourtsoyiannis
Nicholas
N
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D001803:Blood Transfusion; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D006801:Humans; D019190:Iron Overload / Q000473:pathology*; D016014:Linear Models; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D010179:Pancreas / Q000473:pathology*; D010186:Pancreatic Function Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017086:beta-Thalassemia / Q000473:pathology*
D001786:Blood Glucose; D005293:Ferritins