Haemosiderosis is a form of iron overload resulting in the accumulation of haemosiderin, and can occur secondary to transfusions.
Idiopathic pulmonary haemosiderosis may also occur.
Notes:
- Haemosiderin is an insoluble form of iron complexed with protein. It is one form of iron storage within tissue. It is visible microscopically with special stains and is an iron-storage complex. It is always found within cells and appears to be a complex of ferritin, denatured ferritin and other material
- iron within deposits of hemosiderin is very poorly available to supply iron when needed
- can be identified histologically with "Prussian-blue" stain.
- excessive accumulation of hemosiderin is usually detected within cells of the mononuclear phagocyte system or occasionally within epithelial cells of liver and kidney