title: Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging R2* assessments and analysis of historical parameters in patients with transfusion-dependent thalassemia.
abstract: Recent advances in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques allow the assessment of iron overload in tissues 1 especially the heart, 2 in transfusion-dependent thalassemia patients. The R2* value (1/T2*) recorded in the intraventricular septum of the heart indirectly measures the degree of cardiac iron load. Applying this new technology we looked at a number of historical and biochemical parameters in order to determine their relationship to cardiac iron overload and the effect of cardiac iron on functional and structural changes of the heart in transfusion-dependent thalassemics.
authors.forename: Athanassios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aessopos
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fragodimitri
authors.forename: Fotios
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Karabatsos
authors.forename: Antonia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hatziliami
authors.forename: Jacqueline
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yousef
authors.forename: Anastasios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Giakoumis
authors.forename: Aikaterini
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dokou
authors.forename: Efstathios D
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Gotsis
authors.forename: Vasilis
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Berdoukas
authors.forename: Markissia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Karagiorga
mesh_terms: D001803:Blood Transfusion; D002614:Chelating Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D007501:Iron / Q000378:metabolism; D019190:Iron Overload / Q000628:therapy; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012984:Software; D013789:Thalassemia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D002614:Chelating Agents; D007501:Iron