A Pilot Study on Neuroimaging in SCD: Part of The Boston Consortium to Cure Sickle Cell Disease

Inclusion criteria

Group 1 (healthy controls):

• Children ages 8-18 without SCD

Group 2 (SCD patients without treatment):

• SCD patients ages 8-18 who:

• have not undergone gene therapy or a bone marrow transplant
• are not receiving chronic transfusions
• have not received a blood transfusion in the past 3 months

Group 3 (SCD patients who have undergone gene therapy):

• SCD patients ages 8-18 who have had gene therapy at least one month prior to enrollment

Group 4 (SCD patients who have chronic transfusions):

• SCD patients ages 8-18 who receive chronic transfusions

Exclusion criteria

• Electrical implants such as cardiac pacemakers or perfusion pumps;
• Ferromagnetic implants such as aneurysm clips, surgical clips, prosthesis, artificial hearts, valves with steel parts, metal fragments, shrapnel, tattoos near the eye, or steel implants;
• Ferromagnetic objects such as jewelry or metal clips;
• Women of childbearing age who are seeking to become pregnant, who are breastfeeding, or who suspect they may be pregnant;
• Pre-existing medical conditions including a likelihood of developing seizures or claustrophobic reactions;
• Any greater than normal potential for cardiac arrest;
• Subjects requiring sedation for MRI