Clinical and imaging findings in thalassemia patients with extramedullary hematopoiesis

Abstract

The purpose was to analyze the imaging features of thalassemia with extramedullary hematopoiesis in 17 patients. The 17 patients were analyzed and examined retrospectively by X-ray, ultrasonography, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging. Nine cases appeared with hepatic enlargement; 12 cases presented with megalocardia or hypodensity; 15 cases had skeletal manifestations, with involvement of the ribs (66.7%), spine vertebra (40.0%), skull (46.7%), and other bones (20%). Five cases showed nonskeletal manifestations, and extramedullary hematopoiesis was found in three cases. A case presented with cholelithiasis, and hemosiderosis of the liver was found in three cases. The signs of the skeletal manifestations and nonskeletal manifestations may be useful for clinical diagnosis.