Use of sodium chromate Cr51 in diagnosing childhood idiopathic pulmonary hemosiderosis
P. R. Kurzweil, D. R. Miller, J. E. Freeman, R. E. Reiman and K. Mayer
The diagnosis of idiopathic pulmonary hemosiderosis (IPH) may be elusive. A
6-year-old boy had microcytic hypochromic anemia and a hemolytic component.
Hemosiderin-laden macrophages were not found in the gastric aspirate. He
had no pulmonary signs or symptoms. Extensive hematologic and
roentgenologic investigations failed to reveal the cause of the anemia.
Quantitative serial scintigraphic scanning showed significant (35%)
pulmonary sequestration of autologous erythrocytes labeled with sodium
chromate Cr51. The half-life of the RBCs was moderately decreased
(half-life, 15 days; normal, 25 to 35 days). An open-lung biopsy specimen
confirmed the diagnosis of IPH. A diagnosis of IPH should be considered
when children have iron deficiency anemia and pulmonary signs or symptoms.
Organ sequestration studies may be helpful in equivocal cases.
