Jin Yamamura1, Regine Grosse, Rainer Engelhardt, Joachim Graessner2, Gregory Kurio3, Roland Fischer3, Gritta E. Janka, Gerhard Adam1
1Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany; 2Siemens AG; 3Childrens Hospital & Research Center, Oakland, USA
Elevated or normal cardiac iron load with preserved LV function is often seen in patients with beta-thalassemia major, intermedia, and sickle cell disease. Cardiac iron concentration and LV function can be measured by established quantitative MR methods; still the right ventricular dysfunction caused by pulmonary hypertension may become the leading factor of heart failure. The aim of this study was to evaluate the RV function and the cardiac iron in patients with thalassaemia and sickle cell disease.