Following assessment of the patient's clinical complaints, analysis of the radiographs, and development of the differential diagnostic list, a biopsy of the bone lesion may be needed to establish a diagnosis.
The biopsy is a critical aspect of management of bone tumors. The patient's chances of an acceptable functional outcome and eventual cure may be facilitated or hindered by this procedure. This section will describe general issues related to planning and performing a biopsy.
It does not purport to serve as a reference for the performance of individual patient biopsy, and it should be emphasized from the beginning that most patients with probable primary aggressive or malignant bone tumors should be referred, prior to the biopsy, to the surgeon who would perform their definitive surgery.
