Pronounced deficiency in T-cells and lymphocyte chromosomal aberrations in a patient with sarcoidosis, myelofibrosis and acute leukaemia following thorotrast angiography.

A patient exposed to thorotrast angiography developed sarcoidosis 21 years after the injection and myelofibrosis 13 years later. On the latter occasion an extreme deficiency in circulating lymphocytes forming rosettes with sheep erythrocytes (T-cells) was observed and a large fraction of the cells had chromosomal aberrations. Acute leukaemia developed 1 year later. The multiple clinical symptoms may be related to radiation-induced destruction of bone marrow tissue, mutations in haemopoietic cells and depression of cell-mediated immunity.