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Bone marrow culture How the Test is Performed:
A sample of bone marrow is placed on culture media in containers for the purpose of growing microorganisms (bacteria, fungus, or viruses) in the laboratory. Microorganism that grow will later be identified under the microscope. The microbiologist in the laboratory inspects the cultures daily for growth of organisms. If microorganisms are detected, other tests may be performed to determine which drugs will kill the organisms. Definitive antimicrobial therapy can then be initiated based on these results.
How to Prepare:
A bone marrow aspiration or biopsy is necessary to collect the specimen for the culture. This procedure is performed by a physician, sometimes a hematologist (blood specialist).
Infants and children:
The physical and psychological preparation you can provide for this or any test or procedure depends on your child's age, interests, previous experience, and level of trust. For specific information regarding how you can prepare your child, see the following topics as they correspond to your child's age:
How it Feels:
The specimen is collected from the back of the pelvic bone or from the sternum. The area is cleansed with antibacterial soap. The skin over the bone will be numbed with an anesthetic (a bee-sting sensation). Then a larger needle will be inserted through the skin into the bone and pushed into the cavity of the bone that contains the marrow. A sample of bone marrow is aspirated into a syringe for analysis. Pressure and pain occur with this procedure. Soreness at the site may last 1 week or more.
If a bone marrow biopsy is also performed, a larger hollow-core needle is inserted, and a core sample of bone marrow is removed. A portion of the sample can be examined ( biopsy sample) and another portion can be sent for culture. A bone marrow biopsy causes feelings of pressure and/or pain. The pain is minimized with anesthesia of the bone (local anesthetic injected near the bone).
Risks:
The risks include bleeding and infection.
Why this Test is Performed:
The test is performed when infection of the bone marrow, unexplained fever , or other diseases of the bone marrow are suspected.
Normal Values:
No organism growth in the culture media is normal.
Abnormal Results:
Infection of the bone marrow is present. The infection may be bacterial, viral, or fungal. The causative organism and an effective medication to treat the organism, if available, are indicated in the results.
Cost:
The estimated cost is $96.
Special Considerations:
A bone marrow aspirate or biopsy specimen may be sent for many different types of tests, which may, with proper indications, increase costs considerably.
A small amount of bone marrow is removed during a bone marrow aspiration. The procedure is uncomfortable, but can be tolerated by both children and adults. The marrow can be studied to determine the cause of anemia, the presence of leukemia or other malignancy, or the presence of some "storage diseases" in which abnormal metabolic products are stored in certain bone marrow cells.
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