Percutaneous needle biopsy of the spine.

The purpose of this review article is to provide a brief overview of the recent literature on the two main types of percutaneous biopsy methods done in the spinal column: fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) and core needle biopsy (CNB). FNAB is the process of obtaining a sample of cells and bits of tissue for examination by applying suction through a fine needle attached to a syringe. Core needle biopsy involves extracting a cylindrical sample of tissue using a large, hollow needle. The decision for needle biopsy is a joint effort between the clinician, pathologist, radiologist, surgeon, and patient. Specific techniques and approaches with varying needle systems are described for each spinal region. Percutaneous image-guided spine biopsy is a safe and effective procedure. It is the procedure of choice in definitive diagnosis of pathologic lesions of the spine.