Comparative analysis of CT guided vertebral biopsy by a conventional bone biopsy needle versus bone biopsy needle...

We aimed to compare the rate of diagnostically successful vertebral biopsies using conventional bone biopsy needles versus those performed with bone biopsy needles with an acquisition cradle.

We retrospectively analyzed the data of patients who underwent CT-guided vertebral biopsy between December 2017 to December 2019 at our institute. From December 2017 to November 2018, the procedure was performed on 185 patients using an 11G conventional bone biopsy needle, Jamshidi needleTM "(group 1)". From December 2018 to December 2019, the procedure was performed on 242 patients using an 11G T-handle Jamshidi needle with an acquisition cradle "(group 2)". We reviewed their histopathological reports for both groups of patients to determine the rate of diagnostically successful biopsies. We also compared the crush artifact amongst the unsuccessful biopsy samples acquired by the two types of biopsy needles.

427 patients (270 male and 157 female patients; mean age, 46.4 years; age range, 25-67 years) who underwent CT-guided vertebral biopsy from December 2017 to December 2019 were included in our study. In group 1, diagnostic success was achieved in 136 out of 185 biopsies (73.5%); whereas in group 2, diagnostic success was achieved in 219 out of 242 biopsies (90.50%), p < 0.0001. Out of the diagnostically unsuccessful biopsies in Group 1, 36 out of 49 (73.5%) were due to crush artifact; whereas crush artifact accounted for only 3 out of 23 (13.0%) diagnostically unsuccessful biopsies in group 2, p < 0.0001. Other causes of unsuccessful biopsies (hemorrhagic contents or presence of normal osseous tissue and fibrin only) were statistically insignificant.

The use of a T-handle Jamshidi needle with an acquisition cradle appears beneficial compared to the conventional Jamshidi needle in terms of the significantly higher rate of diagnostic success and a lower rate of crush artifact.