Diagnosing hairy cell leukaemia

Ifyour GPsuspects leukaemia, they may refer you to a haematologist (a specialist in blood disorders).

The haematologist will carry out blood tests to determine how many different types of blood cells there are in your blood sample. This is known as a full blood count (FBC).

If you have hairy cell leukaemia, it'slikely your red blood cell and platelet counts will be low.

A bone marrowsample may also be taken, which gives the haematologist more detailed information about your condition.

An ultrasound scan or a computerised tomography (CT) scan may be needed to examine your spleen.

Content supplied by the NHS Website

Medically Reviewed by a doctor on 21 Dec 2018