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  • Title: Multislice multiecho T2* cardiac magnetic resonance for the detection of heterogeneous myocardial iron distribution in thalassaemia patients.
    Author: Positano V, Pepe A, Santarelli MF, Ramazzotti A, Meloni A, De Marchi D, Favilli B, Cracolici E, Midiri M, Spasiano A, Lombardi M, Landini L.
    Journal: NMR Biomed; 2009 Aug; 22(7):707-15. PubMed ID: 19322807.
    Abstract:
    The present study investigated myocardial T2* heterogeneity in thalassaemia major (TM) patients by cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR), to determine whether is related to inhomogeneous iron overload distribution. A total of 230 TM patients consecutively referred to our laboratory were studied retrospectively. Three short-axis views (basal, medium and apical) of the left ventricle (LV) were obtained by multislice multiecho T2* CMR. T2* segmental distribution was mapped on a 16-segment LV model. The level of heterogeneity of the T2* segmental distribution, evaluated by the coefficient of variation (CoV), was compared with that of a surrogate data set, to determine whether the inhomogeneous segmental distribution of T2* could be generated by susceptibility artefacts. Susceptibility artefacts offer an explanation for the T2* heterogeneity observed in patients without iron overload. In subjects with global T2* below the lower limit of the normal, T2* heterogeneity increased abruptly which could not be explained by artefactual effects. Some segmental T2* values were below and others above the limit of normal threshold (20 ms) in 104 (45%) TM patients. Among these patients, 74% showed a normal T2* global value. In conclusion, a true heterogeneity in the iron overload distribution may be present in TM patients. Heterogeneity seemingly appears in the borderline myocardial iron and stabilizes at moderate to severe iron burden.
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