NCIt definition : Aspiration of immature hematopoietic elements and blood from the bone marrow. It is
done for the evaluation of hematopoietic disorders and for the evaluation of infectious
diseases and cytogenetic studies.;
Alternative definition : NCI-GLOSS: A procedure in which a small sample of bone marrow is removed, usually
from the hip bone, breastbone, or thigh bone. A small area of skin and the surface
of the bone underneath are numbed with an anesthetic. Then, a special wide needle
is pushed into the bone. A sample of liquid bone marrow is removed with a syringe
attached to the needle. The bone marrow is sent to a laboratory to be looked at under
a microscope. This procedure may be done at the same time as a bone marrow biopsy.;