A monoclonal gammopathy curve on electrophoresis is characteristic of which disease?

• A. Multiple Myeloma
• B. Hypogammaglobulinemia
• C. Juvenile Cirrhosis
• D. Pulmonary Emphysema

Answer: (A)

A monoclonal gammopathy on serum protein electrophoresis appears as a sharp, narrow spike in the gamma region, produced by a single clone of plasma cells making identical immunoglobulin. This pattern is most typical of a plasma cell disorder like multiple myeloma, where malignant plasma cells secrete a uniform immunoglobulin (often IgG or IgA, sometimes light chains). The other conditions don’t produce this discrete monoclonal band: hypogammaglobulinemia lowers gamma globulins overall rather than creating a sharp spike; juvenile cirrhosis can be associated with polyclonal gammopathy rather than a monoclonal one; pulmonary emphysema has no relation to immunoglobulin patterns.