The aim of the study was to determine the adequacy of image guided needle biopsy, in our setting, for diagnosis of focal musculoskeletal lesions, taking into account previous image aspects and diagnostic hypothesis.

In this retrospective study, we reviewed 345 percutaneous biopsies which took place between January 2011 and December 2018. The number of procedures increased over the years ( Fig. 1 ). Patient demographic data, body location, type of procedure, biopsy results, images in archive and follow-up histology were analysed. Patient data was anonymized for recording.

Patients had an average age of 54 (1 to 92 years), and 50% were male. Age was not significantly different between genders and the 7th decade age group had the greater number of biopsies ( Fig. 2 ). Pelvis and hip lesions predominate (38%), followed by thigh (14%), knee and shoulder (10% each) and other locations ( Fig. 3 ). An osseous sample was taken in 67% of procedures, using a Jamshidi type needle ( Fig. 4 ), including thirteen cases (3%) where both bone...

Image guided percutaneous needle biopsy was adequate for diagnosis of most musculoskeletal lesions. The complication rate was low, with no major event recorded. Most of the procedures (91.6%) were diagnostic. These data are in accordance with the literature. We found proportionally less osteosarcomas because we have few paediatric patients. Relevant false negative results, with a benign diagnosis for a malignant lesion, were rare (4 patients), and mostly found in cartilaginous tumours (3 cases). For those tumours care must be taken; a biopsy positive for malignancy...

1. Daley NA, Reed WJ, Peterson JJ. Strategies for Biopsy of Musculoskeletal Tumors. Semin Roentgenol. 2017 Oct;52(4):282-290 2. Gharehdaghi M. Biopsy in musculoskeletal tumors. Arch Bone Jt Surg. 2014 Sep;2(3):128-9 3. Niu X, Xu H, Inwards CY, Li Y, Ding Y, Letson GD, Bui MM. Primary Bone Tumors: Epidemiologic Comparison of 9200 Patients Treated at Beijing Ji Shui Tan Hospital, Beijing, China, With 10 165 Patients at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota. Arch Pathol Lab Med. 2015 Sep;139(9):1149-55 4. Wang DT, Dubois M, Tutton SM. Complications...

João Janeiro, MD Department of Radiology, Centro Hospitalar Universitário Lisboa Norte Avenida Prof. Egas Moniz, 1649-035 LISBOA, Portugal mailto: [email protected]