How is leukemia diagnosed?
First off, the diagnosis of leukemia requires a high suspicion, which is made by considering the signs and symptoms of the disease. They are often collected in the medical interview and physical exam. In your physical exam, your doctor may detect changes in your liver or spleen as well as abdominal masses or neurologic compromise. However, an important part of the diagnosis is the results of several blood tests that include complete blood count, microscopic analysis of your blood, lactic dehydrogenase, and alkaline phosphatase.