FINE-NEEDLE BONE-BIOPSY TO DIAGNOSE OSTEOMYELITIS

In 30 patients in whom osteomyelitis was suspected fine-needle bone bi opsies (FNBB) were taken at the same time as bone was aspirated for ba cteriological examination. The diagnosis of osteomyelitis was eventual ly confirmed in 15 patients; the other 15 had myositis (3), arthritis (3), trauma (2), microgeodic phalangeal syndrome (2), haematoma in a n onossifying fibroma (1), and Ewing's sarcoma (1). In three patients no pathology was found. The temperature, WBC and ESR at presentation did not help to distinguish osteomyelitis from other conditions. FNBB, ho wever, proved to be a useful additional investigation with a sensitivi ty for osteomyelitis of 87% and a specificity of 93 %.