Haemoglobin SC disease in Jamaica

ABSTRACT

A skeletal survey was carried out on 84 cases of haemoglobin SC disease. The radiological features noted were increased translucency of bone, abnormal trabecular pattern, medullary expansion, wide vascular channels in phalanges, and radiological evidence of infarction, both medullary and cortical. The frequency of bone lesions thus demonstrated increased with age. The most characteristic lesions in this region were those of vascular necrosis; contributing factors such as the high haemoglobin level characteristic of the condition are discussed. An interesting feature was the lack of correlation betweeen clinical severity and degree of radiological change. (AU)