A comparative study of bone marrow aspiration and trephine biopsy: Experience in a tertiary care center

Abstract

Abstract Introduction: A bone marrow examination involves the pathological analysis of samples from the bone marrow, which are obtained through bone marrow aspiration (BMA) and biopsy procedures. This examination is employed for the diagnosis of various hematological and nonhematological conditions. Both aspirate and biopsy samples are essential, offering a comprehensive bone marrow assessment. Objectives: In this study, we aim to compare the simultaneous evaluation of bone marrow aspirates and biopsies and to study diagnostic accuracy and concordance rate. Materials and Methods: This research was performed at the Department of Pathology, Shri Aurobindo Medical College, and Postgraduate Institute in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India. The study was conducted from January 2019 to December 2019 and evaluated 200 patients. In 170 instances, bone marrow biopsy (BMB) and BMA procedures were conducted simultaneously, with 14 cases excluded due to issues like hemodilution or inadequate samples. Microscopic examinations were carried out on both aspirate slides and trephine biopsy sections, with the findings meticulously documented. Results: In the present research, the most prevalent clinical reason for performing a bone marrow examination was anemia (28.2%), closely followed by acute leukemias (21.9%). Among the 156 cases examined, BMA and biopsy led to a definitive diagnosis in 116 patients (74.3%), while biopsy alone diagnosed 27 cases (17.3%). Conclusion: While BMB continues to be the established benchmark for bone marrow analysis due to its heightened reliability and sensitivity, the combined use of both BMA and BMB enhances diagnostic yield significantly.