Adrenal Myelolipoma, Cholelithiasis and Calcified Spleen: Retrospective Diagnosis of Sickle Cell Anemia Using a Novel Triad of Abdominal Imaging Findings

Abstract

Sickle cell anemia is an inherited abnormality of the globin chain with very high prevalence in the Indian subcontinent. A significant proportion of these patients present late in life and are at a risk of complications like acute chest syndrome and painful episodes till a definitive diagnosis is reached and appropriate treatment is started . We report a novel triad of abdominal imaging findings which is not reported in literature until now and which may suggest a diagnosis of sickle cell anemia in retrospect. Patients with this triad of abdominal findings should be suspected to have an underlying hemoglobinopathy and should be referred for further hematological workup. Although in our case the patient was diagnosed to have sickle cell anemia depending on the abnormal morphology of red cells and hemoglobin electrophoresis, it should be remembered that this triad of findings may be seen in other hemoglobinopathies which induce a state of chronic anemia. Key words: sickle cell anemia, adrenal myelolipoma, gall stones, calcified spleen.