Document Type : Case Report(s)

Authors

• Forough Saki ¹
• Mohammad Reza Bordbar ²
• Mohammad Hadi Imanieh ³
• Mehran Karimi ²

¹ Department of Pediatric Endocrinology, Student Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran

² Hematology Research Center, Nemazee Hospital, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran

³ Gastroenterohepatology Research Center, Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Nemazee Hospital, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran

Abstract

Hepatic calcification is usually associated with infectious, vascular, or neoplastic processes in the liver. We report the first case of beta-thalassemia major with isolated diffuse hepatic calcification in a 23 year old woman, who had been transfusion-dependent since the age of 6 months. She was referred to our center with a chief complaint of abdominal pain. Computed tomography scan of the abdomen revealed diffuse hepatic calcification in the right, left, and caudate lobes of the liver. Her medical history disclosed hypoparathyroidism as well as chronic hepatitis C virus infection, which was successfully treated but led to early micronodular cirrhosis on liver biopsy. Other studies done to search for the cause of hepatic calcification failed to reveal any abnormalities. We suspect that hypoparathyroidism caused liver calcification, and should be, therefore, considered in the differential diagnosis of hepatic calcification if other causative factors have been ruled out.

Keywords

• Beta-Thalassemia major
• Hepatic
• Calcification
• Hypoparathyroidism