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Updated: May 4, 2026

Femoral Bone Marrow Aspiration in Live Mice
Published on: July 5, 2014
What should I know before ordering a bone marrow aspiration/biopsy in patients with vitamin B12 deficiency?
Jaskirat Randhawa1, Sarah L Ondrejka, Sebouh Setrakian
1Fairview/Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA. randhawa.j83@gmail.com
Abstract:
Vitamin B12 deficiency is a well recognised cause of macrocytic anaemia and bone marrow failure. Bone marrow aspiration/biopsy is infrequently indicated for the diagnosis in this setting. However, if a bone marrow aspiration/biopsy is performed, it is important to recognise that it may show dysplastic changes mimicking myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) or acute leukaemia. We report a case of a 66-year-old non-vegetarian man presenting with generalised weakness for 1 month and misdiagnosed on bone marrow biopsy as MDS. However, laboratory investigations revealed severe deficiency of vitamin B12. Four weeks after starting vitamin B12 replacement the patient's complete blood counts reverted to normal.
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