ANALYSIS OF 3494 BONE-MARROW EXAMINATIONS IN A REFERRAL HOSPITAL - INDICATIONS AND INTERPRETATIONS

Objectives: To characterize the indications of performing bone marrow examination and the frequent diagnoses encountered in a referral hospi tal in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and to correlate the indications with the yield of specific pathologic diagnosis. Methods: The bone marrow recor ds in the Hematology section of the Department of Pathology at King Kh alid University Hospital over a 12-year period from May 1983 - May 199 5 were reviewed. The records were reviewed for age, sex, main indicati on for performing bone marrow examination and primary bone marrow diag nosis. Results: There were 3494 bone marrow examinations, 2375 (68%) w ere from adults and 1016 (29%) were from children. The M:F ratio was 1 .5:1. The three most common indications were evaluation of postchemoth erapy bone marrow in acute leukemia 26.2%, suspected infiltration by l ymphoma or carcinoma in 10.3% and thrombocytopenia in 9.9%. The three most common specific diagnoses encountered were acute leukemia 27.3%, malignant lymphoma 13% and multiple myeloma 8.3%.