ABU DHABI // A new screening method to monitor iron levels in thalassaemia patients has been introduced at Sheikh Khalifa Medical City.
The FerriScan and cardiac T2 analysis, a non-invasive MRI-based technology, will allow doctors to check iron levels in the liver and heart.
According to the Emirates Thalassaemia Society, one in 12 Emiratis is a carrier for thalassaemia, which is a group of inherited blood disorders where the haemoglobin is abnormal.
Treatment for thalassaemia includes blood transfusions. However, the transfusion may cause an increase amount of iron in the body, which affects the liver and heart, leading to the risk of cardiac complications.
Dr Azzam Al Zoebie, chief of paediatric haematology and oncology at SKMC, said: “Now, we can scan patients with a non-invasive process and can measure iron levels and tailor treatment accordingly. It’s giving us an excellent tool to save patients’ lives.”
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