Background: No data exists comparing the diagnostic yield of bone marrow aspirates derived from the costochondral junction (CCJ) to traditional appendicular sites.
Objectives: To compare the diagnostic yield of bone marrow aspirates obtained from the CCJ versus traditional appendicular sites (humerus, iliac crest, femur) and determine whether patient or procedural factors predict the likelihood of obtaining a diagnostic sample. Animals: 94 client-owned dogs with disease.
Methods: Multi-center retrospective cohort study. Cytology reports were included if sample collected antemortem. Logistic regressions evaluated associations between diagnostic yield and clinical factors (site, anesthesia vs sedation, sex, body weight, age) for all aspirates and by site.
Results: 101 cytology reports (CCJ: n = 46; traditional: n = 55) were included. There was no difference in diagnostic yield between groups (CCJ: 61%; traditional: 65%) (OR 0.82; 95% CI: 0.36-1.85; P = 0.6). No clinical factors were associated with diagnostic yield, including method of restraint (OR 1.22; 95% CI: 0.53-2.9; P = 0.6), sex (OR 0.86; 95% CI: 0.38-1.95; P = 0.7), body weight (per 5 kg; OR 1.02; 95% CI: 0.88-1.20; P = 0.8), or age (per 5 years; OR 0.65; 95% CI: 0.32-1.29; P = 0.2). Interaction tests did not demonstrate significant differences by site (all interaction P > 0.05). However, increasing age was associated with reduced diagnostic yield for CCJ aspirates (P = 0.03). Conclusions and Clinical Importance: The CCJ is a reliable alternative to traditional sites for canine bone marrow aspiration. Diagnostic yield is largely independent of patient demographics or restraint method.
