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Pancytopenia
50 single best answer questions — Domain 6: Conditions, Body system: Blood and Lymph
Based on the GMC Medical Licensing Assessment (MLA) content map — applicable from September 2026
,BLOOD AND LY MPH Question 1 of 50
Pancytopenia Aplastic anaemia
A 24-year-old man presents with fatigue, easy bruising, and recurrent infections. Full blood count shows pancytopenia, with no
organomegaly on examination. Bone marrow biopsy shows a hypocellular marrow with fatty replacement. What is the most likely
diagnosis?
A Hereditary spherocytosis
B Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia
C Myelofibrosis
D Acute myeloid leukaemia
E Aplastic anaemia
Select the single best answer.
,BLOOD AND LY MPH Question 1 of 50 — Answer
Pancytopenia Aplastic anaemia
A 24-year-old man presents with fatigue, easy bruising, and recurrent infections. Full blood count shows pancytopenia, with no organomegaly on examination. Bone marrow
biopsy shows a hypocellular marrow with fatty replacement. What is the most likely diagnosis?
A Hereditary spherocytosis
B Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia
C Myelofibrosis
D Acute myeloid leukaemia
E Aplastic anaemia ✓ Correct
EXPLANATION
Aplastic anaemia is characterised by pancytopenia resulting from bone marrow failure, with a hypocellular marrow showing fatty replacement on biopsy, and typically
no organomegaly, distinguishing it from infiltrative or proliferative bone marrow disorders.
, BLOOD AND LY MPH Question 2 of 50
Pancytopenia Aplastic anaemia
A 30-year-old woman is diagnosed with aplastic anaemia. What is the underlying pathophysiological process in this condition?
A Increased splenic sequestration of blood cells
B Failure of haematopoietic stem cells, leading to loss of production of all three blood cell lineages
C Bone marrow infiltration by malignant cells
D A structural haemoglobin abnormality
E Excessive destruction of mature blood cells in the periphery only
Select the single best answer.
Pancytopenia
50 single best answer questions — Domain 6: Conditions, Body system: Blood and Lymph
Based on the GMC Medical Licensing Assessment (MLA) content map — applicable from September 2026
,BLOOD AND LY MPH Question 1 of 50
Pancytopenia Aplastic anaemia
A 24-year-old man presents with fatigue, easy bruising, and recurrent infections. Full blood count shows pancytopenia, with no
organomegaly on examination. Bone marrow biopsy shows a hypocellular marrow with fatty replacement. What is the most likely
diagnosis?
A Hereditary spherocytosis
B Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia
C Myelofibrosis
D Acute myeloid leukaemia
E Aplastic anaemia
Select the single best answer.
,BLOOD AND LY MPH Question 1 of 50 — Answer
Pancytopenia Aplastic anaemia
A 24-year-old man presents with fatigue, easy bruising, and recurrent infections. Full blood count shows pancytopenia, with no organomegaly on examination. Bone marrow
biopsy shows a hypocellular marrow with fatty replacement. What is the most likely diagnosis?
A Hereditary spherocytosis
B Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia
C Myelofibrosis
D Acute myeloid leukaemia
E Aplastic anaemia ✓ Correct
EXPLANATION
Aplastic anaemia is characterised by pancytopenia resulting from bone marrow failure, with a hypocellular marrow showing fatty replacement on biopsy, and typically
no organomegaly, distinguishing it from infiltrative or proliferative bone marrow disorders.
, BLOOD AND LY MPH Question 2 of 50
Pancytopenia Aplastic anaemia
A 30-year-old woman is diagnosed with aplastic anaemia. What is the underlying pathophysiological process in this condition?
A Increased splenic sequestration of blood cells
B Failure of haematopoietic stem cells, leading to loss of production of all three blood cell lineages
C Bone marrow infiltration by malignant cells
D A structural haemoglobin abnormality
E Excessive destruction of mature blood cells in the periphery only
Select the single best answer.
