Sickle cell anemia .
- Hereditary disease of the red blood cells. Due to the abnormal hemoglobin, the red blood cells turn into sickle shape with reduced ability to carry oxygen to the tissues.
- The hematopoietic system reacts with bone marrow proliferation in order to produce more red blood cells.
- It mainly affects black people. It occurs mostly in children and adolescents.
- Radiographic changes:
- Hair-on-end effect of the skull.
- Widening of the diploe.
- Enlarged bone marrow spaces in all bones
- Generalized bone rarefaction.
- Enlargement of the jaws
- Thinning of cortical plates.