What are Spine and Intervertebral Disk Biopsies?
When a lesion is detected on an imaging study and is not palpable, imaging guidance is often necessary for biopsy. CT, Ultrasound, and/or fluoroscopy can be used to guide a needle to the correct place and obtain a small piece of tissue at this location. For spine biopsies we often use fluoroscopy and for soft tissue lesions adjacent to the spine, face or skull base, we often use CT guidance. If there is a suspicion for tumor or infection of the vertebral bodies, a biopsy is often needed. For lesions more superficially in the soft tissues, ultrasound or CT may be the best option. What are Bone Biopsies? When an abnormality is detected in one of the bones, your physician may refer you for an image-guided biopsy. Most often an orthopedic surgeon specializing in bone tumors requests this examination. These procedures are usually performed after extensive imaging work-up. The actual procedure is done as an outpatient in the hospital with sedation. To schedule an appointment please call (703
