[Radiological and histological changes in the skeleton in systemic haematological diseases (author's transl)]

The findings at bone marrow biopsies in 5,000 patients with systemic haematological diseases were compared with the radiographic appearances. Haemoblastic conditions produce diffuse involvement of the bone marrow, whereas conditions characterised by limited infiltration, such as Waldenström's disease or Brill-Symmers' disease, produce some osteoporosis and only rarely bone destruction. Haemoblastic diseases with additional focal proliferation, such as myelofibrosis or myelosclerosis, multiple myeloma, highly malignant lymphomas and malignant granulomatosis produce circumscribed changes in the spongiosa which are readily recognised radiologically. In addition to generalised osteoporosis or sclerosis, one finds local areas of osteolysis or osteoplasia. Bone marrow biopsies in above-mentioned conditions indicate that they progress in a series of stages which correlate well with the radiological findings.