title: Core needle biopsy of spinal lesions under CT guidance: review of 79 cases.
abstract: The authors report the results of a retrospective study about computed tomography (CT)-guided percutaneous vertebral biopsies in 79 cases (44 males and 35 females, aged from 6 to 84 years old). Five biopsies were performed at the cervical level, 31 at the thoracic, 30 at the lumbar, and 13 at the sacrum. A diagnosis was obtained in 75 out of the 79 patients. Diagnostic yield was 95%, and diagnostic accuracy was 97.3%. Core needle biopsy under CT guidance for spinal lesions is a fast, relatively simple, minimally invasive, and low-cost method, with high levels of diagnostic accuracy and few complications. It plays a major role in the correct diagnosis and therapeutic planning. CT guidance allows safe and accurate biopsy of osseous lesions throughout the spine, obviating invasive open biopsy in most cases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Hyppokratio Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors.forename: Ioannis
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kaltsikis
authors.forename: Danai
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chourmouzi
authors.forename: Kostas
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Drevelegas
authors.forename: Stamatia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Potsi
authors.forename: Anestis
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Moumtzouoglou
authors.forename: Antonios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Drevelegas
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D062005:Biopsy, Large-Core Needle / Q000379:methods*; D002648:Child; D000075202:Contraindications; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D013122:Spinal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D013125:Spinal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery; D013131:Spine / Q000473:pathology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*; D055815:Young Adult