Diagnostic value of bone marrow imaging with 111indium-transferrin and /sup 99m/technetium-colloids in myelofibrosis

111Indium--transferrin (111In) and /sup 99m/Technetium-colloids (/sup 99m/Tc) bone marrow imaging of 55 myelofibrosis (MF) cases has been compared with clinical, histological, and iron-kinetics data. The best correlations are seen between the splenic uptake of 111In with the spleen/sacrum ratio of 59Fe at the first hour and also with the splenic erythropoiesis histologically assessed in ten splenectomized patients. Moreover, sacrum uptake of 111In, when compared with sacrum uptake of 59Fe and with hematopoietic cellularity of the bone marrow reflects faithfully the hematopoietic cell content of the marrow. Thus, 111In bone marrow imaging provides a noninvasive and useful tool for the diagnosis of myeloid metaplasia in MF. Ferrokinetic studies still appreciate with better insight the amount of ineffective erythropoiesis or hemolysis and remain therefore of great value when splenectomy is discussed