Bone Biopsy: Why It Is Done
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Why It Is Done
A bone biopsy is done to:
- Confirm the diagnosis of a bone disorder (such as Paget's disease, a disease that may look like bone cancer, or bone cancer) that was found by another test, such as an X-ray, CT scan, bone scan, or a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan.
- Tell the difference between a noncancerous (benign) bone mass, such as a bone cyst, and bone cancer, such as multiple myeloma.
- See what is causing a bone infection (osteomyelitis) or if an infection is present.
- Find the cause of ongoing bone pain.
- Check bone problems seen on an X-ray.
An open bone biopsy allows your doctor to do surgical treatment at the same time, if needed.
| Last updated: | October 24, 2008 |
|---|---|
| Author: | Bets Davis, MFA |
| Reviewed By: | Anne C. Poinier, MD - Internal Medicine, Joseph O'Donnell, MD - Hematology/Oncology |
| Editors: | Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Tracy Landauer |
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