What is a bone-marrow biopsy for?

Question

Why would someone require a bone-marrow biopsy? What is it looking to detect? What are the related diseases, best/worst case scenarios??

Answer 1

Apart from checking to see if you have cancer of the bone marrow, Leukaemia. It can give the dr an idea of the number of new blood cells developing and how healthy the marrow/ blood cells are. Another conditon that affects the marrow is A Plastic Anemia, there is no cancer but the bone marrow has failed and can not produce new blood cells, with this condition you will need a marrow transplant and regular blood and platelet transfussions till this happens. If its leukaemia that is found, it is treated by chemotherapy and a marrow transplant maybe needed but not always. Bone Marrow conditions can be treated, some patients develop other fatal conditions from chemotherapy or having low immunity (white cells). But sometimes treatment isnt sucessful, as the bone marrow is the centre for making blood which keeps us alive. My daughter had an acute (fast growing) leukeamia, she got through her chemotherapy and is showing no signs of cancer. There was some concerns when treatment was finished that her bone marrow had failed and she had A Plastic Anemia. After a few months of blood and platelet transfussion it finally started working on its own. She had marrow biopsys which detected the leukaemia, then later on to see if the cancer was gone. Then she had to have them to see if she was producing new blood cells. Some patients with A Plastic Anemia can develop leukaemia. All the best.

Answer 2

Bone marrow is soft tissue found inside some of the larger bones in the body. The marrow produces platelets and red and white blood cells. A biopsy is a method of removing a small tissue sample from the body to have it examined under a microscope and possibly analyzed by other tests.

The test is done after abnormal types or numbers of red or white blood cells are found in a complete blood count, or to evaluate whether other systemic diseases are present in the bone marrow.

The examination may detect the cause of the abnormality, certain types of anemia (not enough red blood cells), cancer in the marrow, and may be used to monitor the response to therapy for some cancers.

The results may indicate cancers of the bone marrow (leukemia or Hodgkin's disease). The results may detect the cause of anemia (too few red blood cells), abnormal white blood cells, or thrombocytopenia (too few platelets) - these are for abnormal results.

Additional conditions under which the test may be performed:

Coccidioidomycosis; disseminated
Hairy cell leukemia
Hodgkin's lymphoma
Idiopathic aplastic anemia
Multiple myeloma
Neuroblastoma
Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma
Polycythemia vera
Primary amyloid
Primary myelofibrosis
Primary thrombocythemia
Secondary aplastic anemia
Secondary systemic amyloid


This test is often performed when there are problems with the various types of blood cells. The person may be at increased risk for bleeding, infection, or other problems.


The bone marrow biopsy may be done in the health care provider's office or in a hospital. The sample is usually taken from the hip bone. The skin is cleansed, and a local anesthetic is injected to numb the skin.

The biopsy needle is then inserted into the bone. The core of the needle will then be removed, and the needle is pressed forward and rotated in both directions. This forces a tiny sample of the bone marrow into the needle. The needle is then removed. Pressure is applied to the biopsy site to stop bleeding, and a bandage is applied.

An aspirate may also be performed, usually before the biopsy is taken. After the skin is anesthetized, the aspirate needle is inserted into the bone, and a syringe is used to withdraw the liquid bone marrow. If this is performed, the needle will be removed and either repositioned, or another needle may be used for the biopsy.

Answer 3

Bone marrow biopsies (juist to let you know), are usually pretty painful but are the best way to find out about the inner workings of your bodies blood producing properties. From the bone marrow, is where blood originates or is sorta "born" from. Here, you can see primal white and red blood cells. Most of the time, a bone marrow biopsy is taken to check to see if you have a blood disorder, such as a type of leukemia. In most cases, it is done because a regular blood test differntial was done and the number weren't quite in the normal range. At any rate, a BM biopsy is very diagnostic.

Answer 4

My mother had a bone marrow biopsy. Basically they test the marrow to see how quickly it may be degenerating, also they look for potentially active cancer cells. The marrow in the bone is what keeps the bone healthy. If the marrow degenerates, the bones are more vulnerable to breaks. Marrow also contributes to the healing of broken bones. If the marrow is deteriorating or unhealthy, a broken bone may never heal. Osteoperosis is actually a derivative of bone marrow degeneration.

Best case scenario, you are perfectly healthy and a good potential donor to someone who may be in need of a marrow transplant. Worst case scenario, you could be diagnosed with a form of cancer, which if caught early enough, is able to be treated, but not cured. There are many medical advances being made right now involving cancer as a whole, not just certain forms of the disease, so positive outcomes could begin to rise in the near future.

Answer 5

Sophia--I won't mince words about this test--IT HURTS !!! Having a bone marrow biopsy was THE most painful thing next to child birth that I have ever experienced. I was not put to sleep but I passed out from the intense pain of drill slowly digging into my pelvic bone through a spot in the small of my back. They did a right and a left hole and the test took about 20 minutes. Just make sure they put you out and all you will feel is a small sore spot where they do the test. You will be fine and are very lucky to be having the general anesthesia. Good luck on the test. Best Wishes.

Answer 6

A bone marrow biopsy is when a needle is inserted into a bone and the fluid inside is drawn out and tested for possible blood disorders, elevated white cell count or cancer.

I had one done several years ago because of the suspicion that I had leukemia. The biopsy determined that I have a form of leukemia that is not (at present) life-threatening.

The deadly kind of leukemia is called accute lymphocitic leukemia. That requires chemotherapy. The type I have, chronic lymphocitic leukemia is just monitored.

Answer 7

This biopsy is looking to detect diseases such as leukemia, multiple myeloma, and anemia.

So I think anyone showing possible signs of cancer, anemia, etc. may be given a bone marrow biopsy to officially diagnose it.

Refer to the wikipedia link, and the diseases I mentioned above are referenced in the article. Click on each disease's link to go to its respective article to learn more about the severity of those conditions.

Answer 8

It is looking at the imunity levels within the bone marrow. One of the major functions of bone marrow is infection prevention. By doing a biopsy it is possible to ensure it is doing what it should be doing. It can also help diagnose diseases such as leukeamia and hodgkins lymphoma. People may also have a biopsy to check their compatability as a potential doner.

Answer 9

Read this from Wikipedia:
"Bone marrow examination is used in the diagnosis of a number of conditions, including leukemia, multiple myeloma, and anemia. The bone marrow produces the cellular elements of the blood, including platelets, red blood cells and white blood cells. While much information can be gleaned by testing the blood itself (drawn from a vein by phlebotomy), it is sometimes necessary to examine the source of the blood cells in the bone marrow to obtain more information"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bone_marrow_biopsy

Read this from the Harvard Medical School:
"Doctors can diagnose many problems that cause anemia, some infections, and some kinds of leukemia or lymphoma cancers by examining a sample of your bone marrow (the tissue where blood cells are made). A bone marrow biopsy is the procedure to collect such a sample. It is done using a large needle inserted through the outside surface of a bone and into the middle of the bone, where the marrow is."
http://www.health.harvard.edu/fhg/diagnostics/marrow/marrowWhat.shtml

Read this from the National Institutes of Health:
"The test is done after abnormal types or numbers of red or white blood cells are found in a complete blood count, or to evaluate whether other systemic diseases are present in the bone marrow. The examination may detect the cause of the abnormality, certain types of anemia (not enough red blood cells), cancer in the marrow, and may be used to monitor the response to therapy for some cancers."
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003934.htm#Why%20the%20test%20is%20performed
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Answer 10

A close friend of mine had a bone-marrow biopsy. Her doctors said that they were looking for Leukemia