What To Expect From A Bone Marrow Biopsy

Alternative Uses For Samples

The bone marrow sample taken from a patient who has had a bone marrow biopsy can be used to carry out other helpful diagnostic tests. FISH or fluorescence in situ hybridization is a test that can find genetic abnormalities or alterations in chromosomes a standard microscopy test may not detect. Flow cytometry is a test a bone marrow sample can be used for that determines if a patient's high white blood cell count is being caused by cancer. A bone marrow sample can also be used for immunophenotyping, a test that allows for the identification of certain types of abnormal cells in a patient's blood, lymph node, or bone marrow sample. Karyotype tests, which involve mapping out an individual's 46 chromosomes, their pattern, shape, number, and size can also be carried out on a bone marrow sample. A bone marrow sample can also be used to carry out a polymerase chain reaction test that can detect any cancerous cells in the blood not detected using FISH. Cytogenetic analysis, which is used to detect multiple myeloma, can be carried out on a bone marrow biopsy sample.