Surprising Twists and Turns of a Bone Marrow Biopsy Journey

7. What Abnormal Results Can Mean

A patient's bone marrow tissues are sent to a laboratory where a pathologist evaluates them underneath a powerful microscope for abnormalities. A bone marrow biopsy tells doctors the count and what types of red blood cells, platelets, and white blood cells are present and their stages of development. The cellularity or quantity of blood cells in comparison to other bone marrow components is also examined. The bone marrow biopsy report usually includes a description of the bone marrow environment appearance and the cells that were seen. Too many of certain types of cells that have been identified in an individual's bone marrow can be indicative of myeloproliferative neoplasms or leukemia. Low numbers of red blood cells and hemoglobin can indicate the patient is affected by some form of anemia, and low numbers of other types of cells can indicate myelodysplastic syndrome. Changes observed in the shape of red blood cells can indicate the patient is affected by myelofibrosis or sickle cell anemia. Doctors usually schedule a follow-up appointment to review any abnormal results.

8. Next Steps To Take

An individual who has had a bone marrow biopsy will meet with the ordering doctor after their procedure to go over the results and schedule any follow-up testing that might be necessary. If a bone marrow biopsy has revealed the patient is affected by anemia, their doctor may need to conduct further tests to check for internal bleeding. A kidney biopsy may be needed to rule out kidney failure, which can cause problems with bone marrow and anemia. If the results of the bone marrow biopsy indicate the patient may have cancer in their blood, their doctor may want to carry out biopsies on other tissues they suspect may also be affected. It is common for a patient to have a lymph node biopsy if blood cancer is suspected or diagnosed after a bone marrow biopsy. An individual affected by a myeloproliferative disorder or cancer may need to undergo a follow-up bone marrow biopsy after a little time has passed to help evaluate the efficacy of their treatment.