Publication:

Dark liver on MRI: throwing light on clinically unsuspected hemochromatosis in double heterozygote HbE-beta thalassemia

Secondary hemochromatosis is a well-known complication in thalassemic patients under regular blood transfusions and can be diagnosed based on clinical suspicion and biochemical tests in this setting. However, double heterozygote HbE-β thalassemic is an uncommon form of thalassemia where the clinical course is highly variable and iron deposition in liver, endocrine glands and myocardium similar to primary hemochromatosis can occur in non-transfused patients. We report the MRI diagnosis of erythropoietic hemochromatosis involving liver and adrenal gland in one such rare case presenting in adulthood with severe anemia.