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Writer's pictureKeith Posner

How to read a bone marrow report

Updated: Apr 16

The most recent bone marrow biopsy on 2 April did not produce any useful results from the aspirate. The trephine part has still to be looked at and there might yet be some useful data there. If we need to do another bone marrow biopsy then it will need to be when the counts start rising.


Reading the bone marrow report.

The bone marrow biopsy is made up of two parts:

  • Aspirate, which gathers liquid samples from the marrow

  • Trephine, which gathers solid samples from the bone marrow


The bone marrow report is made up of a series of different investigations integrated into single report. Tests that are brought together in the report include:

  • Microscopic (native eye) smearing, labour intensive

  • Flow cytometry (laser-based counting, tagging, and typing of cells) count more cells and get precise typing

  • Molecular shows genetic mutations, such as RUNX that introduces as a stop in the cell growth process


The most important information in the report seems to be the percentage of immature cells, and the identification of genetic mutations.


The fun part: analysing bone marrow reports

Let's take a look at two bone marrow reports.


Report A was a very welcome report in March 2023 showing that remission had been achieved.


Report B was a rather less welcome report in February 2024, indicating that relapse had occurred.


Report A






Report B




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