1. Home
  2. Essential Thrombocythemia (ET)
  3. How is essential thrombocythemia (ET) diagnosed? — Expert Video
Understanding and Diagnosing Essential Thrombocythemia (ET) — Animation
Understanding and Diagnosing Essential Thrombocythemia (ET) — Animation
Managing and Treating Essential Thrombocythemia (ET) — Animation
Managing and Treating Essential Thrombocythemia (ET) — Animation
Understanding and Diagnosing Essential Thrombocythemia (ET) — Slide Show
Understanding and Diagnosing Essential Thrombocythemia (ET) — Slide Show
Managing and Treating Essential Thrombocythemia (ET) — Slide Show
Managing and Treating Essential Thrombocythemia (ET) — Slide Show
Expert Videos
What is essential thrombocythemia (ET)?
1. What is essential thrombocythemia (ET)?
Why and how did my essential thrombocythemia (ET) arise?
2. Why and how did my essential thrombocythemia (ET) arise?
How is essential thrombocythemia (ET) diagnosed?
3. How is essential thrombocythemia (ET) diagnosed?
What are the signs, symptoms, and expectations of living with ET?
4. What are the signs, symptoms, and expectations of living with ET?
What are the risks with essential thrombocythemia (ET)?
5. What are the risks with essential thrombocythemia (ET)?
How is essential thrombocythemia (ET) managed and treated?
6. How is essential thrombocythemia (ET) managed and treated?
Patient Videos
Janeana's story: How did you find out you had essential thrombocythemia (ET)?
7. Janeana's story: How did you find out you had essential thrombocythemia (ET)?
Janeana's story: What challenges and successes have you had with ET treatment?
8. Janeana's story: What challenges and successes have you had with ET treatment?
Janeana's story: What advice do you have for others on their journey with ET?
9. Janeana's story: What advice do you have for others on their journey with ET?

How is essential thrombocythemia (ET) diagnosed? — Expert Video

Dr. Gabriela Hobbs, Clinical Director of Leukemia Service at Massachusetts General Hospital, provides an overview of how essential thrombocythemia (ET) is diagnosed. She explains that ET is often first suspected when a routine blood test shows a high platelet count, though some people seek care for symptoms such as headaches or blood clots. Dr. Hobbs explains that high platelet counts alone are not enough for a diagnosis. Doctors use established criteria that include blood tests for specific genetic mutations, such as JAK2 , CALR , or MPL , and often a bone marrow biopsy to confirm ET and rule out other conditions. She also provides an overview of next-generation sequencing (NGS) and variant allele fraction (VAF).

  • Share with family and friends:

Click here to take our SURVEY
Your feedback is important to us! We will use your feedback to develop future areas of content about myeloproliferative neoplasms which will help other patients, caregivers, and families.

Other Modules:

Understanding MPNs

Understanding MPNs

Polycythemia Vera (PV)

Polycythemia Vera (PV)

Myelofibrosis (MF)

Myelofibrosis (MF)

Understanding and Diagnosing Essential Thrombocythemia (ET) — Animation
Understanding and Diagnosing Essential Thrombocythemia (ET) — Animation
Managing and Treating Essential Thrombocythemia (ET) — Animation
Managing and Treating Essential Thrombocythemia (ET) — Animation
Understanding and Diagnosing Essential Thrombocythemia (ET) — Slide Show
Understanding and Diagnosing Essential Thrombocythemia (ET) — Slide Show
Managing and Treating Essential Thrombocythemia (ET) — Slide Show
Managing and Treating Essential Thrombocythemia (ET) — Slide Show
Expert Videos
What is essential thrombocythemia (ET)?
1. What is essential thrombocythemia (ET)?
Why and how did my essential thrombocythemia (ET) arise?
2. Why and how did my essential thrombocythemia (ET) arise?
How is essential thrombocythemia (ET) diagnosed?
3. How is essential thrombocythemia (ET) diagnosed?
What are the signs, symptoms, and expectations of living with ET?
4. What are the signs, symptoms, and expectations of living with ET?
What are the risks with essential thrombocythemia (ET)?
5. What are the risks with essential thrombocythemia (ET)?
How is essential thrombocythemia (ET) managed and treated?
6. How is essential thrombocythemia (ET) managed and treated?
Patient Videos
Janeana's story: How did you find out you had essential thrombocythemia (ET)?
7. Janeana's story: How did you find out you had essential thrombocythemia (ET)?
Janeana's story: What challenges and successes have you had with ET treatment?
8. Janeana's story: What challenges and successes have you had with ET treatment?
Janeana's story: What advice do you have for others on their journey with ET?
9. Janeana's story: What advice do you have for others on their journey with ET?

Other Modules:

Understanding MPNs

Understanding MPNs

Polycythemia Vera (PV)

Polycythemia Vera (PV)

Myelofibrosis (MF)

Myelofibrosis (MF)

 

This educational activity has been developed by MPN Research Foundation in collaboration with Mechanisms in Medicine Inc.

This activity is supported by independent educational grants from Disc Medicine, GSK, Incyte, Merck, PharmaEssentia, Sumitomo Pharma, and Takeda.

We are also deeply grateful to the individual donors whose generosity supports the MPN Research Foundation's mission and programs like this one.

Thank you to the funders of You And MPN. All content is developed independently by MPN Research Foundation and Mechanisms in Medicine Inc., in collaboration with an Expert Faculty group; funders are allowed no influence on the content of You And MPN: Animated Patient® Guide to Myeloproliferative Neoplasms.

Disclaimer: The information provided is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your doctor about any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. The visuals provided are meant to be representations only. No specific brand is being promoted or endorsed.

Copyright © Mechanisms in Medicine Inc. All rights reserved.

This website is part of the Animated Patient® series developed by Mechanisms in Medicine Inc., to provide highly visual formats of learning for patients to improve their understanding, make informed decisions, and partner with their healthcare professionals for optimal outcomes.