How Is Acute Myeloid Leukemia Diagnosed?

This content has been reviewed and approved by

Hagop M. Kantarjian, MD
Chairman & Professor, Leukemia Department
MD Anderson Cancer Center
University of Texas

In addition to a complete medical history and physical examination, diagnostic procedures for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) may include the following:

• Additional blood tests and other evaluation procedures
    
• Bone marrow aspiration and/or biopsy - a procedure that involves taking a small amount of bone marrow fluid (aspiration) and/or solid bone marrow tissue (called a core biopsy). The fluid and tissue usually come from the hip bones. They are examined for the number, size, and maturity of blood cells and/or abnormal cells. It is also used to do the chromosome analysis on these cells.
    
• Spinal tap/lumbar puncture - This is only done in special cases when there is suspicion that the leukemia may have involved the brain, based on the presence of neurological symptoms. This is rarely discovered at the time of diagnosis, perhaps in only 1 percent of cases. A special needle is placed through the lower back into the spinal canal. The canal is the area around the spinal cord. The pressure in the spinal canal and brain can then be measured. A small amount of cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) can be removed and sent for testing to determine if there is an infection or other problems. CSF is the fluid that bathes the brain and spinal cord.