ROENTGEN CHEST FINDINGS IN CHILDHOOD SICKLE CELL ANEMIA

A NEW VERTEBRAL BODY FINDING

¹ Associate Professor of Radiology and Director of Pediatric Radiology, University of Tennessee
² Senior Radiology Resident, University of Tennessee

One hundred and twenty-six sets of posteroanterior and lateral chest roentgenograms were reviewed on 98 Negro infants and children with proven hemoglobin SS sickle cell anemia, and the findings were tabulated in reference to 3 age groups of equal number.

With advancing age there was an increase in the percentage of cases showing coarsening of bone architecture, vertebral body end-plate deformity (fish vertebra), and pleural reaction. The incidence of splenomegaly decreased slightly. No age difference was evident in the incidence of hepatomegaly, cardiomegaly, pneumonia and hilar congestion.

The vascular notch seen normally on the anterior aspect of the lower thoracic vertebral bodies was often larger, persisted longer, and was more readily seen on the lateral chest roentgenogram in children with sickle cell anemia than in other Negro

[See figure in the pdf file]

children. The prominence of this notch was most noticeable in the age range from 3 years through 6 years, when it was of most diagnostic importance.

We hope that radiologists may be able to make an earlier diagnostic contribution by strongly suspecting sickle cell anemia in a Negro child with prominent anterior vertebral notches and cardiomegaly.

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