Question
A one-year-old child has been diagnosed with leukemia. Is a bone marrow biopsy necessary, or will a routine blood test suffice?
Answer
A bone marrow biopsy, also known as a bone marrow aspiration, is a harmless diagnostic procedure. The biopsy site is located at the iliac crest, which are the bony protrusions on either side of the pelvis. A small amount of bone marrow is extracted using a needle for examination. For children with leukemia, a bone marrow biopsy is necessary for two reasons: first, it can clearly diagnose the type of leukemia, guiding the selection of treatment methods; second, for patients who have not yet achieved remission, it is typically performed 10 to 14 days after chemotherapy to evaluate the effectiveness of the previous treatment and assist doctors in determining subsequent treatment plans and medication choices.