- Inherited, chronic condition affecting the red blood cells. The red blood cells have a shortened life expectancy.
- The hematopoietic system responds with proliferation of bone marrow, at the expense of the cancellous bone, in order to produce more red blood cells.
- It affects mainly people from the Mediterranean area. It can be heterozygote of monozygote type.
- Radiographic changes:
- ‘Hair-on-end’ calvarium
- widening of the diploic space
- enlarged marrow spaces in all bones
- generalized osteoporosis
- enlargement of jaws
- reduced size of maxillary sinus
- thinning of all cortical structures (especially the lower border of the mandible)
- shortened tooth roots.
Thalassemia
