Assessment of the performance of a novel power ultrasonic biopsy needle

This study investigates the performance of ultrasonic bone biopsy needles by assessing damage induced during the penetration of the device into bone tissue. Two novel ultrasonic bone biopsy needles, tuned to vibrate longitudinally, have been experimentally characterized to identify modal parameters and operational amplitude of vibration. Micro-computed tomography (μCT) has been used to assess the mechanical damage to the bone after the biopsy. The first ultrasonic biopsy needle prototype successfully penetrated the femur bone of a 3 month old Wistar rat but failed to retrieve a sample of bone tissue. The second prototype penetrated the femur of a 9 month old female sheep and obtained a sample of cortical bone. This indicates that an ultrasonic device could be utilized to successfully perform a bone biopsy.