Bone Marrow Aspiration and Biopsy - Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Who does a bone marrow biopsy?

A: A bone marrow biopsy is usually done by a hematologist, oncologist, or pathologist, or by a specially-trained technician.

Q: What are the factors that affect the results of bone marrow biopsy test?

A: Factors that affect the results of bone marrow biopsy test include:

A recent blood transfusion Treatment with medications that contain iron Rough handling, contamination, or inadequate refrigeration of the bone marrow sample Previous radiation treatment to the site where the bone marrow sample is removed.

Q: What are the new bone marrow biopsy needles and procedures used to minimize pain?

A: Recently, specimen capturing bone marrow biopsy needles have been introduced to minimize the pain resulting from manipulations of the bone marrow needle and to help your doctor ensure recovery of adequate specimens.

The SNARECOIL^TM bone marrow biopsy needle is a specimen capturing needle that incorporates a tiny internal snare mechanism that coils around the tip of the specimen after it has entered the needle and thereby captures it.

This mechanism eliminates the need to significantly move the needle after it has been advanced into the bone marrow tissue to recover the specimen. This advantage is relevant not only for the patient who may require a single bone marrow biopsy for diagnosis but especially for those patients with blood cancers such as leukemia or lymphoma, who may require multiple procedures to evaluate the efficacy of their treatments.