Bone Marrow Aspiration
Also known as Bone Marrow Aspirate Microscopy Bone MarrowWhat is this test?
Bone marrow aspiration is a procedure which involves collecting a sample of the liquid from the soft tissue from inside your bones. This test helps in detecting any bone marrow related problems.
What is bone marrow?
Bone marrow is a soft tissue present inside the bones that help in the formation of blood cells like red blood cells (RBC), white blood cells (WBCs), and platelets. Red blood cells help in carrying of oxygen and nutrients, white blood cells help to fight infection and platelets help in clotting of the blood.
Why this test is performed?
This test may be recommended to you if you are suspected to have a bone marrow related disorder. This test is also performed to find out the stage of a disease. This test also used to evaluate the effectiveness of the treatment given. If your complete blood count shows the abnormal levels of red blood cells or white blood cells then this test is recommended to find out the cause. This test is also recommended to you if you experience certain conditions like anemia, infections, leukemia, other blood cancers or disorders, etc.
Precautions:
Before undergoing this test inform your doctor or technician about your allergies especially if you are allergic to latex a type of rubber or local anesthetics, chlorhexidine (used as a disinfectant), adhesives like tape. Also, inform if you have any bleeding disorders or if you are pregnant.
Also known as Bone Marrow Aspirate.
Test Preparation
Inform your doctor if you are on any medications, have any allergies or underlying medical conditions before your Bone Marrow Aspiration. Your doctor will give specific instructions depending on your condition on how to prepare for Bone Marrow Aspiration.
No specific preparation is required for this test.
Understanding your test results
The normal test results may vary depending on age, health history, medical condition, etc.
If your test results are abnormal it may indicate Acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL), Acute myelogenous leukemia (AML), Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML), etc. Abnormal test results may also be due to bacterial or fungal infection throughout the body, if the bone marrow is not able to produce sufficient blood cells, if you have a bleeding disorder or cancer of lymph tissues or multiple myelomas, disorder in which bone marrow is replaced by a scar tissue, abnormally low number of platelets, etc.
| Gender | Age groups | Value |
| UNISEX | All age groups | Results vary depending on the cause |