[Anatomo-pathologic forms of lymphoid and lymphoreticular fibrosis of the bone marrow]

The development, within the bone marrow, of reticulo-fibrosis with a lymphoid organ structure forms part of a pathological model common to several lympho- and reticulo-proliferative syndromes. Various cytological types develop within this reticulo-fibrous framework: lymphocytes, lymphoblasts, plasmocytes, "hairy cells" and histiocytes. This cytological variety has led to different names: leukaemic reticulo-endotheliosis, lymphoid myelofibrosis, histio-lymphocytosis, malignant histiocytosis, etc. Similar cell type sequence is seen in non-Hodgkins lymphomas, with the same problems of parent and daughter cells. In fact the architectural metaplasia of the bone marrow prevails over the cellular metaplasia in the definition of the single clinical, haematological nature and course of these syndromes which have been too widely dissociated by classical haematology.