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While diagnosing PV doctors will also consider patient age, do physical exam, take some test and go through the patient's overall health. Your doctor will look for signs of Polycythemia during your physical exam, including enlargement of the spleen, reddened skin on the face, and bleeding from the gums.
After the confirmation of PV, the next step is to find out whether you have Primary Polycythemia or Secondary Polycythemia. For this purpose the levels of Erythropoietin (EPO) are checked. Primary PV will present low levels of EPO.
The doctor may conduct the following procedures to diagnose Polycythemia Vera (PV).
Blood Tests.
Doctors most frequently use blood tests to diagnose Polycythemia Vera (PV). If you have Polycythemia Vera (PV), blood tests may reveal:
An increase in the number of red blood cells and, in some cases, an increase in platelets or white blood cells.
Elevated hematocrit measurement, the percentage of red blood cells that make up total blood volume.
Elevated levels of hemoglobin, the iron-rich protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen.
Lower than normal levels of oxygen in your blood.
Very low levels of erythropoietin (EPO), a hormone that stimulates bone marrow to produce new red blood cells, because the excess red blood cells turn off the production of EPO by the kidneys.
Bone Marrow Aspiration or Biopsy.
If your doctor suspects you have Polycythemia Vera (PV), he or she may recommend a bone marrow aspiration or biopsy to collect a sample of your bone marrow.
A bone marrow biopsy involves taking a sample of solid bone marrow material. A bone marrow aspiration is usually done at the same time as a biopsy.
During an aspiration, your doctor withdraws a sample of the liquid portion of your marrow. If an examination of your bone marrow shows that it's producing higher than normal amounts of blood cells, it may be a sign of Polycythemia Vera (PV).
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