Patient education: Bone biopsy (The Basics)

What is a bone biopsy? — 

This is a procedure to check an abnormal area of a bone.

A bone biopsy looks at the outer layers of the bone. It is different from a bone marrow biopsy, which looks at cells in the middle of the bone.

Some common reasons to have a bone biopsy include:

●To see if an abnormal area of bone is caused by cancer

●To learn more about unexplained bone pain or a broken bone

●To test for a bone infection

●To help plan treatment for a medical problem

How do I prepare for a bone biopsy? — 

The doctor or nurse will tell you if you need to do anything special to prepare.

Before the procedure, your doctor will do an exam and ask about your "health history." This involves asking about any health problems you have or had in the past, past surgeries, and any medicines you take. Tell them about:

●Any medicines you are taking – This includes prescription or "over-the-counter" medicines, plus any herbal supplements. It helps to write down and bring a list of your medicines, or bring a bag with all your medicines with you.

●Any allergies you have

●Any bleeding problems you have – Certain medicines, including some herbs and supplements, can increase the risk of bleeding. Some health conditions also increase this risk.

You will also get information about:

●If you need to stop taking any medicines for a time before the procedure – Follow the doctor's instructions carefully.

●If you need to take any medicines before the procedure

●Eating and drinking before the procedure – You might need to "fast" before the procedure. This means not eating or drinking anything for a period of time. Or you might be allowed to have liquids until a short time before the procedure. Whether you need to fast, and for how long, depends on the procedure.

●What help you will need when you go home – For example, you might need someone else to bring you home if you will get "sedation" medicines for the procedure.

Ask the doctor or nurse if you have questions or if there is anything you do not understand.

What happens during a bone biopsy? — 

Biopsies are done in different ways, depending on what the doctor is looking for and which bone is involved.

Your doctor will recommend which type of biopsy to have, and where to have it, based on:

●Your health and your medical problems

●The size and location of the area, as well as how deep the biopsy will go

●What the area looks like on an X-ray or other imaging test – These create pictures of the inside of the body.

When it is time for the procedure:

●You might get an "IV," which is a thin tube that goes into a vein. This can be used to give you fluids and medicines.

●You will get anesthesia medicines. This is to make sure you do not feel pain during the procedure. You might also get sedation medicines to help you relax.

●The main types of bone biopsies are:

•Needle biopsy, also called "percutaneous" biopsy – The biopsy is taken using a needle put through the skin. (Percutaneous means through the skin.) Depending on the size and type of needle, you might get a "fine-needle biopsy" or "core needle biopsy."

The doctor will clean and numb your skin over the area of bone. They might use a CT scan or other imaging test to guide them as they insert the needle to do the biopsy. They will use the needle to remove cells or a small sample of bone. Then, they will remove the needle.

•Open biopsy, also called surgical biopsy – This is usually done in an operating room under sedation or general anesthesia. General anesthesia makes you unconscious so you can't feel, see, or hear anything during the procedure. The doctor makes a cut (incision) over the area of the bone and takes a small sample from it.

●After the biopsy, the doctor will hold pressure or use stitches, skin glue, or medical tape to close any incisions and stop any bleeding. If needed, they will cover the area with clean bandages.

●Most bone biopsies take about an hour.

What happens after a bone biopsy? — 

If you had anesthesia, the staff will watch you closely as it wears off. Most people can go home the same day.

You will likely get the results of your biopsy in about a week. Your doctor will talk to you about what the results mean and what will happen next. If the results are not clear, your doctor will schedule another biopsy or procedure to get more information.

What are the risks of a bone biopsy? — 

Your doctor will talk to you about all the possible risks, and answer your questions. Possible risks include:

●Pain at the biopsy site

●Bleeding or bruising

●Infection

●Injury to nearby organs or tissues

More on this topic

Patient education: Bone biopsy – Discharge instructions (The Basics)
Patient education: Bone marrow aspiration and biopsy (The Basics)
Patient education: Bone cancer (The Basics)
Patient education: Chondrosarcoma (The Basics)
Patient education: Ewing sarcoma (The Basics)
Patient education: Paget disease of bone (The Basics)
Patient education: Osteomyelitis in adults (The Basics)
Patient education: Osteomyelitis in children (The Basics)

Patient education: Paget disease of bone (osteitis deformans) (Beyond the Basics)