FINE-NEEDLE ASPIRATION BIOPSY OF VERTEBRAL BODY LESIONS - CYTOLOGIC, PATHOLOGICAL, AND CLINICAL CORRELATIONS OF 57 CASES

We reviewed 57 cases of fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) specimens of vertebral body lesions at our institutions and sought correlations between clinical histories, aspirates, and tissue specimens. Patients' ages ranged from 10-86 yr (mean 62 yr). Previous clinical histories included malignancy (n = 33), osteomyelitis or systemic infection (n = 18), and nonspecific (n = 6). FNAB diagnoses were rendered in 81% of cases (n = 46) and were correlated with previous clinical history (P < 0.004). Tissue diagnoses were also correlated with previous clinical history (P < 0.02). In 19% of cases (n = 11), FNAB was unsatisfactory; of these, tissue specimens were diagnostic for five cases. In 19% of cases (n = II), both aspirates and tissue specimens were available, and the diagnoses coincided in all cases; tissue specimens did not enhance the results of aspirates which produced positive results. Aspirates which showed normal bone marrow elements appeared to effectively rule-out metastatic malignancy based on clinical follow-up (mean 3.7 yr). (C) 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.