Age-Related Patterns of Deep Grey Matter Magnetic Susceptibility in Tanzanian Children with Sickle Cell Anaemia

Motivation: Normal developmental patterns of brain magnetic susceptibility (χ) may be altered in sickle cell anaemia (SCA), potentially affecting cognitive function and contributing to neurological symptoms. Goal(s): To investigate patterns of χ changes with age in young Tanzanian SCA patients compared to healthy controls. Approach: Using quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM), we analyzed both regional deep grey matter and voxelwise χ differences. Results: χ increased more slowly with age in SCA patients in the caudate and globus pallidus. Lower age and sex-corrected χ values were observed in the globus pallidus and putamen compared to controls. Impact: Different patterns of age-related susceptibility accumulation observed in some deep grey-matter regions in children with SCA compared to controls motivate efforts to fully characterize changes to susceptibility and other tissue properties across the lifespan, using QSM and other quantitative techniques.