What tests might I have for chronic lymphocytic leukemia?

What tests might I have for chronic lymphocytic leukemia?

Healthcare providers may use tests that examine blood, bone marrow or lymph nodes. These tests include:

• Bone marrow tests: Healthcare providers can often diagnose CLL through blood tests. However, bone marrow tests provide more information about how advanced CLL is. Healthcare providers may analyze a small bone marrow sample through bone marrow aspiration and biopsy.
• Complete blood count (CBC) with differential: A complete blood count measures the number of red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets in your blood. It also assesses how much hemoglobin (protein that carries oxygen) your red blood cells have.
• Flow cytometry: This test can determine whether the lymphocytes in your blood contain CLL cells. With flow cytometry, healthcare providers take a small blood sample to analyze in a laboratory.
• Genetic tests: Healthcare providers use gene tests to examine chromosomes and DNA (genetic code) that can detect CLL. Examples of these tests include fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) and immunoglobulin heavy chain (IGHV) tests.