title: Coaxial biopsy during percutaneous vertebroplasty in patients with presumed osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures: retrospective review of biopsy results.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study retrospectively analysed the results of biopsies obtained during percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) in patients with presumed osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures, with a view to highlighting the importance of coaxial biopsy in determining the aetiology of vertebral fractures and planning subsequent treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between November 2003 and March 2009, 98 patients (78 women; 20 men) with a clinical and imaging suspicion of osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures underwent coaxial biopsy in conjunction with PVP of the thoracic and lumbar vertebrae. Mean age at the time of the procedure was 72.6 years. A pathologist interpreted all the biopsy samples.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 83 patients, the biopsy results were consistent with the presumed osteoporotic aetiology. In two patients, a malignancy was identified. Biopsy samples from 13 patients were considered insufficient or unsuitable by the pathologist for evaluation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite the number of biopsy samples considered insufficient or unsuitable, coaxial biopsy during PVP is useful in verifying the presumed aetiology of vertebral compression fractures, which is often unclear on the basis of clinical and imaging examinations. It is therefore both convenient and advisable to perform a vertebral coaxial biopsy in all patients undergoing a PVP.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Complex Operational Structure for Radiological Diagnosis, Cardinal Guglielmo Massaia Hospital, Via Conte Verde 125, 14100, Asti, Italy. claudio_venturi@hotmail.com
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Venturi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Barbero
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tappero
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ciccone
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mastrogiacomo
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Molinaro
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gandini
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001707:Biopsy, Needle / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D050815:Fractures, Compression / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D058866:Osteoporotic Fractures / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D015641:Radiography, Interventional; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016103:Spinal Fractures / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D054854:Vertebroplasty / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*