Re: Need help in understanding test results

[Guest guest]

Hi Lilia,

These are very good results.

Normocellular marrow means that the cellularity is normal (the right

amount of blood cells, plasma and fat). Most people have

hypercellular marrow when newly diagnosed (too many white blood cells

clogging up the marrow).

Triliniage hematopoietic maturation means that all three cell lines

are healthy...the red cells, the white cells and the platelets

(platelets are also called megakaryocytes). You want the right

number of " baby " cells and the right number of " older " cells and this

is what you have. This is also what it means when it says " Myeloid

precursors with maturation to the neutrophil stage " .

Your white cell to red cell ratio is 3 to 1 which is exactly what it

should be and both cell lines appear normal, as do your platelets.

The only " problem " is that your iron stores have been depleted which

means that you are probably anemic but it's not a big problem. I

think most of us are anemic to some degree. Ask your doctor if you

should take iron and/or B12.

Your marrow appears healthy and shows no evidence of disease so this

is WOONDERFUL news.

All in all, this report is excellent. Let us know when the

cytogenetics comes back as that will be the " big " news.

Tracey

>

> Hi everyone,

>

> I need some help in interpreting BMA and biopsy test records. I did

a

> test on November 11th and still waiting for cytogenetic and

molecular

> (FISH) studies for BSR/ABL. I got, however, bone marrow aspiration

> and biopsy results. Please, help me understand them. It seems that

> blood smear is good, but bone marrow is kind of unclear to me. I

> cannot understand how bad it is. There are some numbers and

> terminology in the description that are absolutely foreign language

> to me. I tried to brows on internet, but it didn't help me a lot.

> Below is what I have on the copy from my doctor's office:

>

> PERIPHERAL BLOOD SMEAR:

> WHITHIN NORMAL LIMITS; NO MORPHOLOGIC ABNORMALITY IDENTIFIED.

>

> BONE MARROW, ASPIRATE SMEARS, CORE BIOPCY AND CLOT SECTION:

> NORMOCELLULAR MARROW WITH TRILINEAGE HEMATOPOIETIC MATURATION AND

> ABSENT IRON STORES. NO MORPHOLOGIC OR FLOW CYTOMETRIC EVIDENCE OF

> CHRONIC MYELOPROLIFERATIVE DISORDER IDENTIFIED (SEE COMMENT)

>

> COMMENT:

>

> PERIPHERAL BLOOD SMEAR:

> The red blood cells are normal in number and without significant

> morphologic abnormality. The white blood cells are normal in number

> and composed of predominantly mature neutrophils with adequate

> lobation and granulation, small lymphocytes, scant eosinophils and

> rare basophils. No circulating blasts are seen. The platelets are

> normal in number and appear granulated.

>

> ASPIRATE AND IMPRINT SMEARS:

> The aspirate smears are particulate but show significant

degenerative

> artifact. The touch imprint smears show significant air-dry

artifact.

> The myeloid series shows maturation to the neutrophil stage.

> Basophils do not appear to be a significant component. Blasts

appear

> to be much less than 5% of the overall hematopoietic population.

> Erythroid precursors are seen. Occasional megakaryocytes are

present.

>

> BONE MARROW BIOPSY CORE SECTION:

> These show bone marrow averaging approximately 50% in overall

> hematopoietic cellularity. Myeloid precursors with maturation to

the

> neutrophil stage. Occasional small erythroid islands are present.

The

> myeloid: erythroid ratio is estimated at 3:1. Megakaryocytes are

> present and appear adequate in number.

>

> BONE MARROW CLOT SECTIONS:

> These show blood and small particles of marrow with features

similar

> to those described in the biopsy core sections.

>

> IRON STAINS:

> Iron stains of the smears, core biopsy, and clot sections show

absent

> stainable iron. The control slides are appropriately stained.

>

> FLOW CYTOMETRY STUDIES:

> By report, flow cytometry studies performed at the University of

> Washington Medical Center revealed no convincing abnormal myeloid

> blast, monocyte or maturing myeloid population identified. Noted

were

> degenerative changes and poor viability.

>

> Thank you,

>

> Lilia.

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Tracey,

Thank you very much for your quick and very clear reply. It helps a

lot! I feel absolutely uneducated - as more I read about the CML and

all related tests, as more I see how much I don't know and how much I

need to learn.

I'll let you know about the results of cytogenetics; hopefully I'll

get them at the beginning of the next week.

Lilia.

> >

> > Hi everyone,

> >

> > I need some help in interpreting BMA and biopsy test records. I

did

> a

> > test on November 11th and still waiting for cytogenetic and

> molecular

> > (FISH) studies for BSR/ABL. I got, however, bone marrow

aspiration

> > and biopsy results. Please, help me understand them. It seems

that

> > blood smear is good, but bone marrow is kind of unclear to me. I

> > cannot understand how bad it is. There are some numbers and

> > terminology in the description that are absolutely foreign

language

> > to me. I tried to brows on internet, but it didn't help me a lot.

> > Below is what I have on the copy from my doctor's office:

> >

> > PERIPHERAL BLOOD SMEAR:

> > WHITHIN NORMAL LIMITS; NO MORPHOLOGIC ABNORMALITY IDENTIFIED.

> >

> > BONE MARROW, ASPIRATE SMEARS, CORE BIOPCY AND CLOT SECTION:

> > NORMOCELLULAR MARROW WITH TRILINEAGE HEMATOPOIETIC MATURATION AND

> > ABSENT IRON STORES. NO MORPHOLOGIC OR FLOW CYTOMETRIC EVIDENCE OF

> > CHRONIC MYELOPROLIFERATIVE DISORDER IDENTIFIED (SEE COMMENT)

> >

> > COMMENT:

> >

> > PERIPHERAL BLOOD SMEAR:

> > The red blood cells are normal in number and without significant

> > morphologic abnormality. The white blood cells are normal in

number

> > and composed of predominantly mature neutrophils with adequate

> > lobation and granulation, small lymphocytes, scant eosinophils

and

> > rare basophils. No circulating blasts are seen. The platelets are

> > normal in number and appear granulated.

> >

> > ASPIRATE AND IMPRINT SMEARS:

> > The aspirate smears are particulate but show significant

> degenerative

> > artifact. The touch imprint smears show significant air-dry

> artifact.

> > The myeloid series shows maturation to the neutrophil stage.

> > Basophils do not appear to be a significant component. Blasts

> appear

> > to be much less than 5% of the overall hematopoietic population.

> > Erythroid precursors are seen. Occasional megakaryocytes are

> present.

> >

> > BONE MARROW BIOPSY CORE SECTION:

> > These show bone marrow averaging approximately 50% in overall

> > hematopoietic cellularity. Myeloid precursors with maturation to

> the

> > neutrophil stage. Occasional small erythroid islands are present.

> The

> > myeloid: erythroid ratio is estimated at 3:1. Megakaryocytes are

> > present and appear adequate in number.

> >

> > BONE MARROW CLOT SECTIONS:

> > These show blood and small particles of marrow with features

> similar

> > to those described in the biopsy core sections.

> >

> > IRON STAINS:

> > Iron stains of the smears, core biopsy, and clot sections show

> absent

> > stainable iron. The control slides are appropriately stained.

> >

> > FLOW CYTOMETRY STUDIES:

> > By report, flow cytometry studies performed at the University of

> > Washington Medical Center revealed no convincing abnormal myeloid

> > blast, monocyte or maturing myeloid population identified. Noted

> were

> > degenerative changes and poor viability.

> >

> > Thank you,

> >

> > Lilia.

> >

>