2023 Volume 14 Issue 9 Pages 1213-1218
Introduction: Needle biopsy is frequently used to confirm the diagnosis of infectious spondylitis and is submitted for bacterial culture to identify the causative organism. However, in many cases, culture cannot be performed, and diagnostic performance may be improved by submitting the biopsy for histopathological examination. This study aimed to compare the diagnostic performance of needle biopsy for infectious spondylitis with bacterial culture test, histopathological test, or a combination of both tests.
Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 41 patients who underwent needle biopsy for suspected infectious spondylitis. We calculated the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy rate of bacterial culture test, histopathological test, and a combination of both tests.
Results: The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, accuracy rate, and P value of the bacterial culture test, histopathological test, and the combination of both tests were (58%, 90%, 95%, 41%, 66%, 0.008), (74%, 100%, 100%, 56%, 81%, <0.001), and (90%, 90%, 97%, 75%, 90%, <0.001), respectively. Of the 13 cases in the infected group with negative culture results, 10 (77%) cases were positive in histopathological examination.
Conclusions: In needle biopsy for infectious spondylitis, not only bacterial culture but also histopathological examination must be performed to prevent delay in diagnosis.
