A 34-year-old member asked:
Why could someone require a bone-marrow biopsy?
3 doctor answers • 11 doctors weighed in
Dr. Kenneth Chenganswered
Family Medicine 32 years experience
Blood making cells: The bone marrow is where the red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets are made. A bone marrow biopsy is often recommended when a physician, usually a hematologist or oncologist, needs to see what might be causing an abnormality in ones complete blood count (cbc).
6.1k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Dr. Le Wanganswered
Internal Medicine 37 years experience
Many Indications: Bone marrow biopsy is most useful in diagnosis and staging of blood cancers (leukemia, lymphoma, multiple myeloma, etc). Also indicated for evaluating unexplained anemia, leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, pancytopenia, or unexplained elevated blood counts. It is also useful for fever of unknown origin, or as a confirmation that bone marrow transplantation is successful.
2.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Dr. Rawhi Omaranswered
Pathology 45 years experience
Blood disorders: The most common reason for having a bone marrow biopsy is to investigate an issue with your blood cell counts like in anemia or leukemia (excessive increase in one of blood cell types). In patients with advanced types of cancer, bone marrow bx is done to rule out its involvement or to assess the effect of chemotherapy on blood cell production
1.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Similar questions
A 30-year-old member asked:
I'm curious as to why would someone require a bone-marrow biopsy?
1 doctor answer • 3 doctors weighed in
Dr. Gurmukh Singhanswered
Pathology 50 years experience
Long list: See this site for a list of indications for bone marrow biopsy.
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003934.htm.
4.6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 46-year-old member asked:
Can you provide some advice for someone who's had a bone marrow biopsy?
1 doctor answer • 3 doctors weighed in
Dr. Gurmukh Singhanswered
Pathology 50 years experience
The reason for: Biopsy. Bone marrow biopsy is done for a large number of reasons and the follow up care would depend on the diagnosis. As for the site of biopsy, you should leave the bandage on for 3-4 days for the wound to close and may take over the counter pain relief. See this site for more info.
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/bone-marrow-biopsy/my00305.
4.6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Last updated Oct 23, 2017
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