Bone Marrow Examination

Bone marrow examination refers to the pathologic analysis of samples of bone marrow obtained by bone marrow biopsy, often called trephine biopsy, and by bone marrow aspiration. It is used in the diagnosis of several conditions, including leukemia, multiple myeloma, lymphoma, anemia and pancytopenia. Because the bone marrow produces the cellular elements of the blood, including platelets, red blood cells and white blood cells, testing the blood itself by phlebotomy cannot always supply enough information about the process of blood cell formation, so it is sometimes necessary to examine the marrow directly through aspiration and biopsy.