How Is Chronic 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 chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) may include:

  • Additional blood tests and other evaluation procedures.
  • Bone marrow aspiration and/or biopsy. This is a procedure that involves taking a small amount of bone marrow fluid (aspiration) and/or solid bone marrow tissue (called a core biopsy), usually from the hip bones, to be examined for the number, size, and maturity of blood cells and/or abnormal cells. This will also be used to do chromosome studies to detect the Ph abnormality. This is the most important test to document CML.
This content was last reviewed August 15, 2010 by Dr. Reshma L. Mahtani.
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