Differential diagnostic features of bone marrow biopsies in essential thrombocythemia

Essential Thrombocythemia (ET) is a chronic myeloproliferative disorder (CMPD) characterized by a high platelet count and originating from a multipotent stem cell. For a long time, according to Polycythaemia Vera Study Group (PVSG) criteria, ET diagnosis has not included histopathological data. Bone Marrow (BM) histology was used only to exclude previous or other subtypes of Ph-CMD or Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). In addition, the lack of any cytogenetic or molecular-biological marker has made the discrimination between ET and cases of Reactive Thrombocytosys (RT) without a well known cause quite problematic. Analogously, the distinction of ET from the other Ph- CMPDs with similar clinical presentation can be challenging