Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML): Diagnosis 

How is acute myeloid leukemia (AML) diagnosed?


What tests might I need?

You may need 1 or more of these tests:

Blood tests

Blood is taken from your arm or hand with a needle. The blood is then tested in many ways (see below).

Bone marrow aspiration and biopsy

This procedure is done by taking out small amounts (samples) of bone marrow. Bone marrow is the thick, spongy liquid inside bones. Samples are usually taken from the back of the hip (pelvic) bone. For the bone marrow aspiration, the skin over the hip is numbed. A long, hollow needle is then put through the skin and into the hip bone. A syringe is used to pull out a small amount of bone marrow. You may have some brief pain when the marrow is removed. A bone marrow biopsy is usually done just after the aspiration. A small piece of bone and marrow is removed with a slightly larger needle that's pushed down into the bone. The biopsy may also cause some brief pain. The bone marrow is then sent to a lab where it's checked for leukemia cells and tested in many ways (see below).

How blood or bone marrow is tested

The tests done on blood or bone marrow samples may include:

  • Complete blood count (CBC). This test measures the numbers of different types of cells in your blood. People with AML usually have too many early (immature) white blood cells, called blasts. There might be low numbers of red blood cells and/or platelets.

  • Immunophenotyping. This test measures the types and amounts of proteins called antigens on the surface of the leukemia cells. This can be used to see if you have AML, and to find out which subtype you have. Results of this test may take several days.



  • Polymerase chain reaction (PCR). This is a very sensitive test that can find even very low levels of leukemia cells in a test sample. It works by increasing the amount of genetic material in the sample so that it can be detected. This test can find small levels of chromosome changes that other tests can’t find. 

Finding the gene changes in your leukemia cells helps your healthcare provider know if you have AML and the exact type of AML you have.

Getting your test results


Online Medical Reviewer: Kimberly Stump-Sutliff RN MSN AOCNS
Online Medical Reviewer: Louise Cunningham RN BSN
Online Medical Reviewer: Todd Gersten MD
Date Last Reviewed: 2/1/2021