Biopsy - MedFriendly.com

Biopsies are also useful in helping to determine the cause of infections or inflammation that has gone

unexplained. Some biopsies are done to obtain samples of healthy tissue so that doctors can tell if the

tissue can be transplanted into someone else's body who needs it. More often than not, however,

unhealthy tissue is biopsied as opposed to healthy tissue.

ARE THERE DIFFERENT TYPES OF BIOPSIES?

Yes, there are many different types of biopsies, some of which will be described here:

SKIN/MUSCLE BIOPSY: In this type of biopsy, a small piece of skin or muscle is cut away from the body

and sent to be analyzed in the laboratory. This procedure usually only takes a few seconds to do after the

area of the body where the sample is being taken from has been numbed. Stitches are sometimes used to

sew the skin back together. In small biopsies, the skin may heal fine without stitches.

NEEDLE BIOPSY: In this type of biopsy, a needle is inserted through the skin and into the organ that is

believed to be abnormal is some way. At the end of the needle, a cutting device may be fitted on the tip to

help remove a piece of the tissue for examination. A small, sharp pinch is usually felt at the site of the

biopsy.

The doctor usually uses the assistance of tests that can take pictures of the inside of the body while the

biopsy is being performed so he/she knows where to direct the needle. This technique is known as guided

biopsy and it is more safe and accurate than doing a biopsy without the guided help. Tests that are often

used to help the doctor in guided biopsies are ultrasounds and CT scans. An ultrasound is a procedure

that uses types of sound waves to produce images of the body. CT (computerized tomography) scanning

is an advanced imaging technique that uses x-rays and computer technology to produce more clear and

detailed pictures than a traditional x-ray.

The needles used in needle biopsies can be large or very small. Very thin and small needles have helped

doctors take tissue samples from areas of the body (such as the glands that produce saliva) that were

dangerous to take from with large needles. A needle biopsy is also known as a percutaneous biopsy.

ASPIRATION BIOPSY: This is a type of needle biopsy (see above) in which the needle is placed into a

tumor or abnormal mass to remove cells. Most aspiration biopsies only require that the specific body part

being examined be numbed. Sometimes, however, general anesthesia is required. General anesthesia is

loss of sensation and consciousness in the entire body that is caused by administering certain

medications. This type of biopsy is also known as a needle aspiration biopsy.

ENDOSCOPIC BIOPSY: In this type of biopsy, a flexible tube with a viewing lens (known as an

endoscope) is passed through a tiny cut in the skin and then into the organ that needs to be examined. An

attachment is passed through the endoscope to take a sample of the area of concern. The attachment

used to remove tissues is known as forceps. Brushes are the attachments used to remove cells.

EXCISIONAL BIOPSY: In this type of biopsy, the surgeon removes the entire area of concern (such as a

lumpy mass) as opposed to only removing a part of it. The entire area that is removed will be sent to the

laboratory for analysis. For lumps or masses located in the breast that were detected with a

mammography, the surgeon may first need to inject a die or thin wires to identify the abnormal area. A

mammography is an X-ray procedure that is performed as a screening test for women who want to detect

breast cancer at an early stage.

OPEN BIOPSY: This type of biopsy is part of an operation in which an area of the body (such as the

chest or the belly) needs to be cut open to view a diseased area so that a tissue sample can be obtained.

The surgery is typically performed under general anesthesia. The surgeon can send the tissue sample to

the laboratory for rapid analysis, which helps make the decision as to whether the entire area needs to be

removed. An open biopsy is performed when an endoscopic biopsy is not possible or when it is likely that

the diseased organ or tissue will need to be removed. An endoscopic biopsy is sometimes called a closed

biopsy because it only requires a tiny cut to be made in the skin.

HOW ARE THE RESULTS OF BIOPSIES OBTAINED?

When a biopsy is performed, the sample is sent to the laboratory for analysis. If the situation is urgent,

biopsy results can be ready within minutes. An example of an urgent situation would be a patient that has

had a body part opened that may have cancer in it. It would be urgent to find out if the tissue sample is

cancerous so that the diseased area can be removed immediately. In less serious situations, it may take

a few days for biopsy results to come back.

A special stain is placed on the sample of tissues or cells that helps highlight certain areas that can be

seen under a microscope. The samples are frozen or smeared on a slide that is then examined under a

microscope. Normal and abnormal cells have certain appearances that can be detected under the

microscope. The presence and type of abnormal features in cells and tissues is what helps lead to a

diagnosis. The sample may also be embedded in wax so that it is given a firm consistency, can better be

sliced into very thin slices, placed on a slide, and examined. The wax procedure is more time consuming,

taking about 24 hours.

If fluid samples were taken that contain cells, the fluid is sometimes spun at high speeds in a device called

a centrifuge. Spinning the fluid at high speeds helps to pack together cells inside the fluid. The fluid is then

placed on a small slide for examination. The cells are preserved on the slide and stains are applied to

better view them under the microscope.

A cytologist examines the cells for abnormalities, paying special attention to the size, shape, and structure

on the nucleus (center of the cell). A cytologist is someone who specializes in cytology, an area of biology

that deals with the study of the structure, function, multiplication, life history, problems, diseases, and

chemistry of the cell.

As was mentioned earlier, some biopsies are cultured, meaning that the sample is placed in a special

laboratory container to see if it grows. Sometimes, specific antibodies are introduced to the tissue sample

to see how it reacts. Antibodies are types of proteins that are formed by the body to destroy foreign

proteins known as antigens. When an antibody meets an antigen, inflammation results. Cultures and

antibody tests are used when the doctor is examining cases of infection or inflammation.

In some kidney biopsies, an extremely powerful microscope (known as an electron microscope) is used to

help determine the type of cell that makes up the tumor. The kidneys are two organs located on each side

of the spine, behind the stomach. The kidneys filter (remove) wastes from the blood. There are other

specialized techniques used to analyze the sample of tissue or cells. These specialized techniques uses

special stains, antibodies, and enzymes. An enzyme is a type of protein that helps produce chemical

reactions in the body. These specialized procedures take longer to do but are generally more accurate

than non-specialized procedures regarding diagnosis and prognosis.

WHAT ARE THE RISKS INVOLVED IN A BIOPSY?

The risks involved in a biopsy include pain, bleeding, and infection.

WHAT IS THE ORIGIN OF THE TERM, BIOPSY?

Biopsy comes from the Greek word "bios" meaning "life," and the Greek word "opsis" meaning "vision." Put

the words together, and you have "life vision."