Diagnosis
A complete blood count (CBC) is used to diagnose leukemia. This blood test may show high or low levels of white cells and show leukemic cells in the blood. Sometimes, platelet counts and red cell counts are low. Bone marrow tests (aspiration and biopsy) are often done to confirm the diagnosis and to look for chromosome abnormalities. These tests identify the leukemia cell-type.
A complete blood exam and a number of other tests are used to diagnose the type of leukemia. These tests can be repeated after treatment begins to measure how well the treatment is working.
Some of these tests include: