normal screen

Last reviewed 01/2018

Patients with normochromic normocytic anaemia, a normal/reduced reticulocyte count and normal blood tests may require a bone marrow biopsy.

Althought the diagnostic yield from bone marrow biopsy in this situation is low, the possible outcomes include:

  • hypoplastic anaemia

  • bone marrow infiltration:
    • metastatic cancer
    • leukaemia
    • myeloma
    • myelofibrosis

  • sideroblastic anaemia

  • myelodysplasia

  • masked megaloblastic anaemia

Reference:

  • Elis, A. et al. (1996). A clinical approach to idiopathic normocytic-normochromic anemia. J Am Geri Soc 44(7), 832-4