THE VALUE OF PERCUTANEOUS TRANSPEDICULAR VERTEBRAL BONE BIOPSIES FOR HISTOLOGIC EXAMINATION - RESULTS OF AN EXPERIMENTAL HISTOPATHOLOGIC STUDY COMPARING 2 BIOPSY NEEDLES
Jc. Ward et al., THE VALUE OF PERCUTANEOUS TRANSPEDICULAR VERTEBRAL BONE BIOPSIES FOR HISTOLOGIC EXAMINATION - RESULTS OF AN EXPERIMENTAL HISTOPATHOLOGIC STUDY COMPARING 2 BIOPSY NEEDLES, Spine (Philadelphia, Pa. 1976), 21(21), 1996, pp. 2484-2490
Study Design. A 3.5-mm trephine was designed to overcome difficulties
encountered in the histologic evaluation of vertebral bone samples obt
ained with a 2-mm trephine. Objectives. To compare the 3.5-mm trephine
with the 2-mm trephine. Summary of Background Data. A review of resul
ts obtained with a 2-mm trephine showed that histologic examination of
vertebral bone cores was disturbed by artifacts in 32 of 70 cases (46
%). Although tissue diagnosis was possible from 61 samples, only 36 (5
1%) bone cores yielded a secure diagnosis. Methods. Transpedicular bon
e cores were obtained from the bodies of 54 fresh cadaver vertebrae wi
th both trephines. In each vertebra, the 2 mm trephine was used on one
side, and the 3.5-mm trephine was used on the other side. Longitudina
l sections were prepared and examined macroscopically for length and b
reak ages and microscopically for trabeculae, marrow, and artifacts. E
ach sample was graded for its value for histologic examination. Result
s. Significant differences were found between the two trephines for al
l criteria evaluated. Of 54 samples taken with the 2-mm trephine. 13 (
24%) were graded ''good,'' compared with 45 (83%) from the 3.5-mm trep
hine. Twelve (22%) ''bad'' samples were taken from the 2-mm trephine c
ompared with three (6%) ''bad'' samples taken from the 3.5-mm trephine
. Conclusions. The 2-mm trephine does not provide suitable bone cores
for histologic examination, whereas samples obtained with the 3.5-mm t
rephine are suitable.