title: Cardiac and Hepatic T2*-Weighted Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Transfusion Dependent Hemoglobinopathy in North West of Iran.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Iron overload is the main transfusion related side effects in patients with transfusion dependent hemoglobinopathies. Severe iron deposition in tissues leads to organ dysfunction. Many organs can be affected such as heart, liver, and endocrine organs. Cardiac failure and liver fibrosis are the consequent of Iron overload in transfusion dependent hemoglobinopathy. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is a safe, noninvasive, and accurate method for the assessment of iron deposition in different tissues. This study assessed iron levels in liver and heart of the patients with transfusion dependent hemoglobinopathies.
  
  
  METHODS
  The studied population consisted of 12 patients (7 male and 5 female) with transfusion dependent hemoglobinopathies, aged between 10-18 years old. Then, Cardiac and liver T2*- weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were obtained.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In current study, 1patient (8.33%) had severe, 2 patients (16.66%) had moderate and 2(16.66%) had mild cardiac iron deposition. Out of 12 patients, 1 had severe iron deposition in liver (8.33%), 5(41.66%) and 4(33.33%) had moderate and mild hepatic iron deposition, respectively. Differences between Hepatic and cardiac iron levels were not significant between males and females (p>0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Since cardiac and liver iron levels were higher than normal in most of the study group, checking ferritin level and liver function test and also echocardiography in shorter intervals (each 3 months) in involved group is suggested instead of checking routinely in 6 month intervals in patients with transfusion dependent hemoglobinopathies.
authors.affiliation: Assistant professor of Hematology/Medical Oncology, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Valizadeh
authors.affiliation: MSc of of Biostatistics, Patient Safety Research Center, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Alinejad
authors.affiliation: Assistant professor of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hejazi
authors.affiliation: Assistant professor of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Noroozi
authors.affiliation: Assistant professor of Gastroenterology, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hashemi
authors.affiliation: Assistant professor of Cardiology, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rahimi
authors.affiliation: General physician, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran.
authors.forename: Sh
authors.initials: Sh
authors.lastname: Nateghi
keywords: Heart; Hemoglobinopathy; Iron; Liver; MRI