Computed Tomography-Guided Fine Needle Biopsies of Vertebral and Paravertebral Lesions in Small Animals

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Vertebral and paravertebral lesions are common in small animals. They usually have a deep localization or a difficult approach; therefore computed tomographic (CT)-guidance is suggested to overcome the difficulties and obtain samples to reach a diagnosis. The aim of this work was to describe the use of CT-guidance to obtain fine needle biopsies from vertebral and paravertebral lesions in small animals. The fine needle biopsies were taken from the vertebra, the intervertebral disc and the intervertebral foramen from 10 dogs and a ferret. Two infectious and nine neoplastic lesions were diagnosed. The procedure was successful in 91% of the cases. Cytology was diagnostic in 80% of the cases. The ratio of complications was 9%. Computed tomography-guided fine needle biopsy is a useful and safe technique for the diagnosis of vertebral and paravertebral lesions in small animals. However, a degree of expertise is important. ABSTRACT: Fine needle biopsy (FNB) is an effective, minimally invasive and inexpensive diagnostic technique. Under computed tomography (CT)-guidance, lesions that have a difficult approach can be sampled to reach a diagnosis. The aim of this study is to describe the use of CT-guidance to obtain FNB from vertebral and paravertebral lesions in small animals. Ten dogs and one ferret that had undergone CT-guided FNB of vertebral and paravertebral lesions and had a cytological or a histological diagnosis were included in this retrospective study. The FNB samples were taken in four cases from the vertebra, in two cases from the intervertebral disc and in five cases from the intervertebral foramen. Two infectious and nine neoplastic lesions were diagnosed. The percentage of successful FNB was 91%. The percentage of samples with a cytological diagnosis was 80%. The percentage of complications was 9%. Limitations were the small number of animals in the study, the lacking complementary percutaneous biopsies for comparison, the lacking final histological diagnoses in some cases and the intervention of multiple operators. Computed tomography-guided FNB is a useful and safe technique for the diagnosis of vertebral and paravertebral lesions in small animals. However, a degree of expertise is important.