Multislice Multiecho T2* Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Detects Heterogeneous Myocardial Iron Distribution in Thalassemia Patients

Iron induced cardiomiopathy is the main cause of mortality in thalassemic population. Thus, the improvement of chelation regimens, to reduce cardiac disease, has the highest priority. Efficient evaluation of cardiac iron status and careful epidemiologic assessment of thalassemic patients play an important role in this matter. T2* magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a unique technique to quantify myocardial iron overload and useful to tailor the chelation therapy. Effective and reproducible assessment of myocardial iron loading using the multislice multiecho T2* approach for segmental and global myocardial iron distribution, has been demonstrated at the MRI centre in Pisa [1,2]. Aim of this work is to build within the MIOT (Myocardial Iron Overload in Thalassemia) project a reliable network of haematological and paediatric centers specializing in thalassemia care and MRI centers able to perform feasible and reproducible heart and liver iron overload assessments for a consistent number of thalassemia patients in a standardized and robust manner.