Bone Marrow Aspiration and Biopsy

During a bone marrow biopsy, a small amount of bone, fluid and cells are collected from inside the bone to be examined under a microscope. With a bone marrow biopsy and aspiration, the doctor is evaluating what is in the marrow in order to help determine, such things as whether the cells found are normal and present in typical quantities and whether there are cells present that should not be there. Once doctors know more about the status of a patient's blood, specific diseases and cancers can be ruled out and/or diagnosed. Additionally, if a patient is already being treated for cancer, a bone marrow aspiration and biopsy may be ordered to determine how well the body is responding to the chemotherapy or other therapies, and to see if the marrow is being affected.