Multi-organ abnormalities assessed by a single MRI scan in individuals with blood cancer

Sophie Reed; Michele Pansini; Charlie Diamond; Amitava Banerjee; Helena Thomaides Brears; Onima Chowdhury

doi:10.1016/j.ejim.2024.05.025

Multi-organ abnormalities assessed by a single MRI scan in individuals with blood cancer

Eur J Intern Med. 2024 May 24:S0953-6205(24)00230-9. doi: 10.1016/j.ejim.2024.05.025. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Sophie Reed¹, Michele Pansini², Charlie Diamond³, Amitava Banerjee⁴, Helena Thomaides Brears³, Onima Chowdhury⁵

Affiliations

¹ Oxford University Hospitals' NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK; Molecular Haematology Unit, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, NIHR, Biomedical Research Centre, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
² Oxford University Hospitals' NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK; Clinica Di Radiologia EOC, Istituto Di Imaging Della Svizzera Italiana (IIMSI), Lugano, Switzerland.
³ Perspectum Ltd, Gemini One, 5520 John Smith Drive, Oxford, UK.
⁴ Institute of Health Informatics, University College London, London, UK; Department of Cardiology, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK; Department of Cardiology, Barts Health NHS Trust, London, UK.
⁵ Oxford University Hospitals' NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK; Molecular Haematology Unit, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, NIHR, Biomedical Research Centre, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK. Electronic address: onima.chowdhury@ndcls.ox.ac.uk.

PMID: 38796311
DOI: 10.1016/j.ejim.2024.05.025

Abstract

Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic individuals with all blood cancers were classified as clinically vulnerable and at high risk of complications and death. Our study sought to determine if individuals with specific blood cancers were at a heightened risk of longer term organ impairment, secondary to SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Methods: We set up a prospective observational study, utilising quantitative multi-parametric MRI to determine organ health over time in patients with specific blood cancers who had recovered from COVID-19.

Results: Multi-organ abnormality was more prevalent in blood cancer patients than in healthy controls (42 % vs 6 % p < 0.001) but comparable to the long COVID controls (42 % vs 33 %, p > 0.05). At 6 month follow up scans, organ abnormalities persisted in most individuals with blood cancer (71 % ≥1 organ and 52 % multi-organ).

Conclusion: A multi-organ MRI platform offers the capacity to accurately evaluate organ health dynamically in blood cancers and detect asymptomatic organ impairment. The application of multi-organ MRI could aid early detection and longitudinal monitoring of organ impairment, potentially guiding more personalised treatment strategies and improving clinical outcomes in many rare diseases.

Publication types

Letter