The visualized interventricular septum on cardiac computed tomography: a clue to the presence of severe anemia.

Severe anemia (10 g hemoglobin or less) will provide sufficient negative contrast on computed tomography (CT) to visualize the intracardiac chambers or lumina of large blood vessels. In the presence of secondary hemochromatosis, imaging of the interventricular septum can be due to excess cardiac iron (hemochromatotic cardiomyopathy) or the underlying transfusion-dependent anemia. Five percent glucose/water may be a satisfactory negative contrast agent for cardiac CT.