leukemia symptoms : Diagnosis
Once the physician suspects that a patient's blood is abnormal, he or she will want to perform blood and bone marrow tests to rule out leukemia. Additional tissue samples may be needed to confirm the diagnosis or to help plan treatment.
Blood Tests
In cases of questionable leukemia, a number of blood tests are performed. Such tests evaluate the type and quantity of blood cells that are present, the blood chemistry, and other factors.
Full blood count Full blood count to establish the numbers of different blood cell types within the circulation. Low numbers of red or white blood cells are described as anemia or leukopenia, respectively. Low numbers of "young" red blood cells (reticulocytes) are described as reticulocytopenia. High leukocyte or reticulocyte counts are called leukocytosis or reticulocytosis, respectively. A lack of mature neutrophils (bacteria-destroying white blood cells) is known as neutropenia or granulocytopenia. Thrombocytopenia is the term used for a low number of blood-clotting platelets, and thrombocytosis refers to a high number of platelets.
Differential blood count Differential blood count to determine the relative proportion of blood cell types within the bloodstream. In particular, the percentage of immature leukemic "blast" cells is noted. People with acute leukemia (either acute lymphocytic leukemia [ALL] or acute myelogenous leukemia [AML]) often have too many leukocytes (white blood cells), too few erythrocytes (red blood cells) and/or too few platelets. Often many of the leukocytes in these individuals are immature "blast" cells.
Hematocrit assay Hematocrit assay to determine the proportion of the blood that is occupied by erythrocytes (red blood cells); normal men: 46% (39.8 - 52.2); normal women: 40.9% (34.9 - 46.9).
Hemoglobin level Hemoglobin level to evaluate the amount of oxygen-carrying pigment in the erythrocytes; normal men: 15.5 g/dl blood (13.3 - 17.7); normal women: 13.7 g/dl blood (11.7 - 15.7).
Blood coagulation Blood coagulation variables to determine whether there are problems with clotting. Such variables include prothrombin time, partial prothrombin time (PPT), clotting time, coagulation factors II, V, VII, IX, X, XI, and XII, plasminogen, and plasminogen activator.
Blood morphology and staining Blood morphology and staining to identify abnormalities in cell shape, structure, and the condition of the cell nucleus. Some abnormalities common to red blood cells include anisocytosis (excessive variations in size), poikilocytosis (abnormal red blood cell shapes), and macrocytosis (abnormally large cells). Neutrophils often show nuclear and cell-based abnormalities, as well as loss of granulation. Platelets may show giant forms that are deficient in granules.
Blood chemistry Blood chemistry to measure the type and amount of enzymes, minerals, and other substances within the blood. Typical tests include measuring the serum enzyme lactic dehydrogenase; measuring the leukocyte enzyme alkaline phophatase, especially for the diagnosis of chronic myelogenous leukemia, or CML; measuring serum vitamin B12, which can be increased to roughly 15 times normal in CML patients; and measuring serum levels of calcium, potassium, phosphate, and uric acid (excess uric acid in the blood, or hyperuricemia, is common in lymphocytic leukemia and lymphoma). These tests are used to identify kidney or liver damage that may be caused by leukemic cell breakdown or by drugs used for chemotherapy
© 1998-2006
by Healthcommunities.com, Inc. All rights reserved.
Blood Tests
In cases of questionable leukemia, a number of blood tests are performed. Such tests evaluate the type and quantity of blood cells that are present, the blood chemistry, and other factors.
Full blood count Full blood count to establish the numbers of different blood cell types within the circulation. Low numbers of red or white blood cells are described as anemia or leukopenia, respectively. Low numbers of "young" red blood cells (reticulocytes) are described as reticulocytopenia. High leukocyte or reticulocyte counts are called leukocytosis or reticulocytosis, respectively. A lack of mature neutrophils (bacteria-destroying white blood cells) is known as neutropenia or granulocytopenia. Thrombocytopenia is the term used for a low number of blood-clotting platelets, and thrombocytosis refers to a high number of platelets.
Differential blood count Differential blood count to determine the relative proportion of blood cell types within the bloodstream. In particular, the percentage of immature leukemic "blast" cells is noted. People with acute leukemia (either acute lymphocytic leukemia [ALL] or acute myelogenous leukemia [AML]) often have too many leukocytes (white blood cells), too few erythrocytes (red blood cells) and/or too few platelets. Often many of the leukocytes in these individuals are immature "blast" cells.
Hematocrit assay Hematocrit assay to determine the proportion of the blood that is occupied by erythrocytes (red blood cells); normal men: 46% (39.8 - 52.2); normal women: 40.9% (34.9 - 46.9).
Hemoglobin level Hemoglobin level to evaluate the amount of oxygen-carrying pigment in the erythrocytes; normal men: 15.5 g/dl blood (13.3 - 17.7); normal women: 13.7 g/dl blood (11.7 - 15.7).
Blood coagulation Blood coagulation variables to determine whether there are problems with clotting. Such variables include prothrombin time, partial prothrombin time (PPT), clotting time, coagulation factors II, V, VII, IX, X, XI, and XII, plasminogen, and plasminogen activator.
Blood morphology and staining Blood morphology and staining to identify abnormalities in cell shape, structure, and the condition of the cell nucleus. Some abnormalities common to red blood cells include anisocytosis (excessive variations in size), poikilocytosis (abnormal red blood cell shapes), and macrocytosis (abnormally large cells). Neutrophils often show nuclear and cell-based abnormalities, as well as loss of granulation. Platelets may show giant forms that are deficient in granules.
Blood chemistry Blood chemistry to measure the type and amount of enzymes, minerals, and other substances within the blood. Typical tests include measuring the serum enzyme lactic dehydrogenase; measuring the leukocyte enzyme alkaline phophatase, especially for the diagnosis of chronic myelogenous leukemia, or CML; measuring serum vitamin B12, which can be increased to roughly 15 times normal in CML patients; and measuring serum levels of calcium, potassium, phosphate, and uric acid (excess uric acid in the blood, or hyperuricemia, is common in lymphocytic leukemia and lymphoma). These tests are used to identify kidney or liver damage that may be caused by leukemic cell breakdown or by drugs used for chemotherapy
© 1998-2006
by Healthcommunities.com, Inc. All rights reserved.
