Purpose Obesity can make bone marrow biopsy using manual landmarks as guidance technically challenging. This retrospective review was performed to assess the safety and technical success of performing bone marrow biopsies with computed tomography (CT)–guidance in obese patients.
Materials and Methods This single-institution, retrospective study included 1,016 CT-guided bone marrow biopsies performed between 2009 and 2016. Thirty-four percent (n = 348) were performed in patients with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 kg/m2 or greater, and 7% (n = 75) were performed in patients with a BMI greater than 40 kg/m2. Demographic information, BMI, and complications were reviewed. The primary endpoint was technical success and procedurally related hemorrhagic complication. The electronic medical record was reviewed to identify procedural related hemorrhagic complications, Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) Grade 3 or above. The complication rates in obese patients were compared with patients with a BMI less than 30 kg/m2.
Results Biopsy was successfully performed in all patients. No biopsies resulted in a CTCAE Grade 3 or above complication. There was no difference in complication rate (0%) based on BMI. For patients with a BMI < 30 kg/m2, BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2, and BMI > 40 kg/m2, complications rates were 0% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0–0.4%), 0% (95% CI: 0–0.9%), and 0% (95% CI: 0–4%), respectively.
Conclusions CT-guided bone marrow biopsy in obese patients can be performed with a high rate of technical success and is safe. If patient body habitus limits the ability to palpate physical landmarks needed to perform bone marrow biopsy without image guidance, CT-guided bone marrow biopsy should be considered.
Cancer has become the leading cause of mortality in America, and the majority of patients eventually develop hepatic metastasis. As liver metastases are frequently unresectable, the value of liver-directed therapies, such as transarterial radioembolization (TARE), has become increasingly recognized as an integral component of patient management. Outcomes after radioembolization of hepatic malignancies vary not only by location of primary malignancy but also by tumor histopathology. This article reviews the outcomes of TARE for the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer, metastatic breast cancer, and metastatic neuroendocrine tumors, as well as special considerations when treating metastatic disease with TARE.
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