Bilateral trephine bone marrow biopsies in lymphoma and other neoplastic diseases

We have evaluated the usefulness of bilateral rather than unilateral posterior iliac spine trephine biopsies in searching for lymphoma and other neoplastic diseases in the bone marrow. Two hundred and eighty-two patients with these diseases were studied. Tumor was found on only one side in 22% of patients with non-Hodgkin's malignant lymphoma, in 43% of patients with Hodgkin's disease, and in 36% of patients with other neoplastic processes. Thus, the second biopsy yields an additional 11% to 22% of positive biopsies. We conclude that bilateral trephine bone marrow biopsies should be routinely performed when searching for tumor in the bone marrow.