Efficacy and Safety of CT-Guided Core Needle Bone Biopsy

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of CT-guided core needle bone biopsy at Military Hospital 175, including a comparison between procedures performed with and without robotic navigation.
Methods: A descriptive study combining retrospective and prospective data on 131 patients who underwent bone biopsy from September 2019 to June 2024. Technical parameters, complications, and
specimen characteristics were recorded and analyzed.
Results: The success rate of obtaining diagnostic tissue samples was 100%. The mean specimen length was 15.1±7.8 mm. The average number of CT scans was 2.8±2.4, lower in the robot-assisted group (2.2
vs. 3.4 scans; p=0.004). The mean procedure time was 29.4±10.0 minutes, significantly shorter in the robot-assisted group (20.7 vs. 52.2 minutes; p<0.00001). The rate of malignant diagnoses was 53.4%. Minor local bleeding occurred in 19.1%; one case of transient leg numbness was fully resolved. The average pain score was 4.6±2.0, higher in spinal biopsies (p<0.001).
Conclusion: CT-guided core needle bone biopsy is a highly accurate and safe technique. Robotic navigation significantly improves procedural efficiency, particularly in anatomically challenging cases.