Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 6, 2026
A Sectioning, Coring, and Image Processing Guide for High-Throughput Cortical Bone Sample Procurement and Analysis for Synchrotron Micro-CT
Published on: June 12, 2020
CT-guided bone biopsy: Initial experience with a commercially available hand held Black and Decker drill
O Buckley1, W Benfayed, T Geoghegan
1Department of Radiology, The Adelaide and Meath, Hospital, Tallaght, Dublin 24, Ireland.
Purpose:
To describe the use of a simple commercially available Black and Decker hand based drill in performing CT-guided bone biopsies.
Materials And Methods:
Three international institutions were enrolled in the study. In each centre, a fellowship trained musculoskeletal radiologist directed the assessment of a hand based commercial drill for performing CT-guided bone biopsies. A specially designed component was engineered which allowed the connection of a standard bone biopsy set to a commercial drill. The component was distributed to the three centres involved. Over a 3-year period, data from all three institutions was collected. Information regarding technical success, diagnostic data and complication rates were all collated to assess the technical feasibility of this technique.
Results:
In total 68 patients underwent bone biopsy using a hand held commercial drill. Technical success was achieved in 65 patients. Diagnostic material was obtained in 53 patients. Non-diagnostic material was obtained in 12 patients. Five out of the 12 patients with non-diagnostic material had repeat biopsies with diagnostic material obtained in 2 of these. No major complications occurred in any patient.
Conclusion:
CT-guided bone biopsy using a hand held commercial drill has a technically high success rate with minimal complications.