Acute myelofibrosis: multifocal bone marrow infiltration detected by scintigraphy and magnetic resonance imaging

Ann Hematol. 2000 May;79(5):275-8. doi: 10.1007/s002770050593.

Abstract

Acute myelofibrosis is a rare, malignant hematological disorder of unknown etiology with an inevitably fatal outcome. Here we present the study of a 63-year-old Caucasian man with acute onset of pancytopenia. Repeated bone marrow biopsies showed dense fibrosis and hypoplastic hematopoiesis raising various differential diagnoses of malignant and nonmalignant conditions. Bone marrow scintigraphy and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed areas suggesting neoplastic infiltration, mainly in both femurs and tibias. Histological examination of a surgical biopsy of the left tibia revealed acute megakaryoblastic leukemia. As the patient refused polychemotherapy, therapy with interferon gamma was initiated but discontinued prematurely because of intolerable side effects. The presented case therefore suggests that the combination of bone marrow scintigraphy and MRI is a valuable diagnostic tool in patients presenting with myelofibrosis of unknown origin.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acute Disease
  • Antineoplastic Agents / therapeutic use
  • Bone Marrow / diagnostic imaging
  • Bone Marrow / pathology
  • Humans
  • Interferon-gamma / therapeutic use
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Platelet-Derived Growth Factor / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Primary Myelofibrosis* / diagnosis
  • Radionuclide Imaging
  • Tibia / pathology
  • Transforming Growth Factor beta / antagonists & inhibitors

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Platelet-Derived Growth Factor
  • Transforming Growth Factor beta
  • Interferon-gamma