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A bone marrow biopsy is a medical procedure used to collect a small sample of bone marrow, which is the soft, spongy tissue inside your bones where blood cells are made. This test helps a physician diagnose and monitor conditions that affect blood cell production, such as anemia and infections, or cancers, like multiple myeloma or leukemia.
How a Bone Marrow Biopsy is Used to Diagnose Multiple Myeloma
For multiple myeloma, your physician will usually take the bone marrow biopsy sample from your hip bone, even though the cancer may affect other areas. The hip bone is considered the best choice because it provides an adequate amount of marrow and is easily accessible. For most people with multiple myeloma, the cancer is widespread in the bone marrow, so a sample from the hip can give a physician the information they need.
After a bone marrow biopsy, if a physician needs more detailed information about a specific area of the body where they suspect there is more severe bone damage or a tumor, they might order additional imaging tests like an MRI, CT scan or PET scan to better understand what is happening in those areas.
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Your physician will give you specific instructions, but here are key steps you can review as well:
- Discuss medications: Let your physician know about any medications you take, especially blood thinners, as you may need to stop them before your biopsy. Also, mention if you have any allergies or medical conditions.
- Eating and drinking before the biopsy: In most cases, you can eat and drink normally before the biopsy. However, if you’re getting sedation (medicine to help you relax), your physician may ask you to avoid food and drinks for a few hours before the procedure.
- Arrange transportation: If you are receiving sedation, you might feel drowsy afterward, so it’s best to have someone drive you home. Even if you're not getting sedation, it is still a good idea to have someone drive you after the procedure.
- Wear loose clothing: You will need to change into a hospital gown, so wear clothes that are comfortable and easy to get in and out of.
After you get to your appointment and check in, you’ll be given privacy and asked to change into a hospital gown. Next, you will lie on a table (either on your side or on your stomach) and the physician will clean the skin on your hip and numb the area with a local anesthetic.
The physician will insert a hollow needle into your hip bone and remove a small amount of liquid bone marrow. After that, a different needle is inserted into the bone to remove a small piece of bone marrow tissue. The sample is sent to a lab for examination. The procedure takes about 10-20 minutes and you can usually go home the same day. You may feel a little sore for a few days, but most people return to normal activities quickly. If you have any concerns, talk to your physician.
A bone marrow biopsy is considered a safe and low-risk procedure, typically performed with local anesthesia to numb the area. Most people experience only mild soreness or discomfort due to the procedure and complications are rare. Most patients can return to normal activities within a day or two, although mild bruising or swelling may occur at the biopsy site.