Evaluation of iron deposition in the adrenal glands of beta thalassemia major patients using 3-Tesla MRI

Abstract

Background: Beta-thalassemia major (beta-TM) patients need blood transfusions, which result in iron deposition. To regulate chelation therapy, iron load has to be measured. With MRI, the amount of signal loss and T2* decay time shortening are used for iron quantification. Objectives: The aim was to measure adrenal iron load with T2* relaxometry using MRI, and to compare it with liver and cardiac iron and serum ferritin, and to find out whether adrenal iron could be predicted from those parameters. Patients and Methods: Between October 2014 and March 2015, MRI was performed in 21 patients with beta-TM, recieving blood transfusions and chelation therapy. The control group (n = 11) included healthy volunteers with no known history of adrenal, hematologic, chronic disease, and blood transfusion. Results: Among patients, there was no significant correlation between plasma ferritin and adrenal T2*. Significant difference was detected among T2* values of adrenals between the patient and control groups. There was no significant correlation between adrenal gland and liver T2* in beta-TM patients, moderate correlation was detected between adrenal T2* and cardiac T2*. Conclusion: Adrenal iron in beta-TM can be reliably measured in 3 Tesla MRI. The results highlight the absence of correlation between adrenal iron deposition both with serum ferritin and hepatic iron.