Paper I
Question
Leucoerythroblastic blood picture – definition and causes
Answer
Definition
- A leucoerythroblastic blood picture is the presence of immature white cell precursors (myelocytes, metamyelocytes) together with nucleated red blood cells (erythroblasts) in the peripheral blood, indicating disruption of normal bone marrow architecture with release of immature precursors into circulation
Causes
- Marrow infiltration (myelophthisis): Metastatic carcinoma to bone marrow, leukaemia, lymphoma, multiple myeloma
- Myelofibrosis: Primary myelofibrosis (marrow replaced by fibrous tissue, extramedullary haematopoiesis)
- Severe haemolysis or haemorrhage
- Severe sepsis/overwhelming infection
- Extramedullary haematopoiesis (e.g., in severe thalassaemia)