Making the diagnosis: keys to a successful biopsy in children with bone and soft-tissue tumors.

A well-planned and -executed biopsy is critical in the management of a child with either a bone lesion or a soft-tissue mass. A biopsy is necessary when the orthopedic surgeon, in conjunction with the radiologist, believes that the radiographic studies or patient history indicate a progressive process that requires intervention. Biopsies may be open (incisional or excisional) or closed (needle or trephine). Careful attention to biopsy site and technique is important to avoid complications that may compromise the ability to preserve a limb.