The radiological features of sickle cell disease as seen at Kenyatta National Hospital

Abstract

A total of 32 patients with sickle cell disease who attend haematology clinic were seen and sent for radiologic examinations for skull, chest, spine, pelvis and hands. These were all outpatients of whom 19 were females while 13 were males with age range from 1 year 9 months to 24 years. 25 patients (78%) had no gross complication. One patient had healing leg ulcer while three (9.4%) patients had recovered from osteomyelitis. Avascular necrosis of the epiphysis was seen in 3 patients. The change in bone texture attributed to sickle cell disease was seen in all the body regions examined and in the young patients this was remarkable in the hands. The pelvis had least pronounced changes in the bone trabeculea. The chest x-ray showed heart enlargement in 30 patients (93.7%). This was the single most common radiologic feature.