Prevalence of abdominal ultrasonographic abnormalities in patients with sickle cell disease.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to evaluate the type and prevalence of abdominal ultrasonographic abnormalities in patients with sickle cell disease.


METHODS
A total of 102 patients with sickle cell disease at the Center of Hemoglobinopathy of the Antakya State Hospital were screened for intra-abdominal abnormalities by abdominal ultrasonography (US). Eightyfour patients were homozygous for sickle-cell disease (S/S), and 18 patients were compound heterozygotes for sickle cell-Beta thalassemia (S/Beta(thal)). At the time of examination, 15.7% (16/102) of patients had undergone splenectomy, and 18.6% (19/102) of patients had undergone cholecystectomy.


RESULTS
The most frequent US findings (expressed as percentages of all patients) were hepatomegaly (71.6%), renal enlargement (30.4%), autosplenectomy (33.3%), cholelithiasis (30.4%) and splenomegaly (17.4%). A bright liver was identified in 6 patients (5.9%), an echogenic pancreas in 4 patients (3.9%), and pancreatic punctate echogenic foci were identified in 5 patients (4.9%). Medullary or diffusely increased renal echogenicity was observed in 16 patients (15.7%). Sonographic findings typical of renal papillary necrosis were observed in one patient with S/S. Periportal lymphadenopathy was detected in 10 (11.9%) of 84 patients of the S/S group, and 2 (11.1%) of 18 patients of S/Beta(thal) group.


CONCLUSIONS
Abdominal ultrasonographic imaging of patients with sickle cell disease revealed a high prevalence of abdominal abnormalities, especially in solid organs.
Balci
Ali
A
Department of Radiology, Mustafa Kemal University School of Medicine, Antakya, Hatay, Turkey. alibalciradyolog@yahoo.com
Karazincir
Sinem
S
Sangün
Ozlem
O
Gali
Edip
E
Daplan
Turgay
T
Cingiz
Cihangir
C
Eğilmez
Ertuğrul
E
D000005:Abdomen / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D000293:Adolescent; D000755:Anemia, Sickle Cell / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002769:Cholelithiasis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006529:Hepatomegaly / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D010182:Pancreatic Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D013163:Splenomegaly / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D013789:Thalassemia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014463:Ultrasonography; D055815:Young Adult