Pseudogaucher cells obscuring multiple myeloma: a case report

Gaucher-like or pseudo-Gaucher cells have been noted in a variety of conditions including acute lymphoblastic leukemia, Hodgkin's disease, thalassemia, and multiple myeloma. They have an eccentric, lobulated nucleus, foamy cytoplasm but lack the tubular inclusions seen in Gaucher cells. The pseudo-Gaucher cells have distinct appearances on electron microscopy which distinguish them from true Gaucher cells. Increased pseudo-Gaucher cells probably reflects the increased load of leukocyte membrane derived glucosylceramide presented to macrophages under conditions of high cell turnover when the normal pathways for its removal may be saturated. We present a case of a 72-year-old Indian Aryan female, in which the bone marrow contained sheets of histiocytes with features mimicking gaucher cells. These pseudo-Gaucher cells obscured neoplastic plasma cells causing diagnostic difficulty.