Bone Marrow Aspiration and Biopsy
Also known as: Bone Marrow; Bone Marrow Test
Formal name: Bone Marrow Aspiration; Bone Marrow Aspirate; Bone Marrow Biopsy; Bone Marrow Trephine Biopsy
Related tests: FBC, Differential, Reticulocyte count, Blood film, Haemoglobin, Haematocrit, Platelet count, WBC, RBC
At a Glance
Why Get Tested?
To evaluate the type, quantity, and maturity levels of the cells present in the marrow; to evaluate the structure of the marrow; and sometimes to collect a sample of marrow for more specific testing
When to Get Tested?
When a patient is anaemic without an obvious cause and/or has a condition or cancer that may be affecting blood cell production; as a means of helping find out how advanced a cancer is; sometimes when a doctor is investigating a fever of unknown origin, especially when the patient is immuno-compromised
Sample Required?
A bone marrow sample collected primarily from the hip bone (pelvis); sometimes collected from the sternum (breast bone) in adults or the tibia (shin bone) in infants
If you don't know what a word or a medical term means, try the
Mondofacto Online Medical Dictionary
.
