Diagnosing Childhood Leukemia

What are the Symptoms of Leukemia?

Symptoms of leukemia vary depending on the type of leukemia — acute or chronic. Some of the more common symptoms of leukemia may include:

• Anemia
• Bleeding and/or bruising
• Recurrent infections
• Bone and joint pain
• Abdominal distress
• Swollen lymph nodes
• Difficulty breathing

The University of Chicago Medicine Comer Children's Hospital provides comprehensive diagnostics, treatments and long-term follow-up care for children and adolescents who have leukemia.

How is Leukemia Diagnosed?

We offer the latest tools and technology for diagnosing childhood cancer. The diagnosis of leukemia begins with a complete medical history and physical exam followed by medical tests. Diagnostic procedures for leukemia include:

• A complete blood count (CBC) to examine white blood cells, red blood cells and platelets
• Bone marrow aspiration and biopsy to look at the cavity where all blood cells in the body are made. This is where leukemia starts.
• State-of–the-art flow cytometry analysis, molecular diagnostics and a chromosome analysis to determine the subtype of leukemia
• A spinal tap to examine the fluid that covers the brain and spine to determine if any of the leukemia has spread to the cerebral spinal fluid