Biopsy

The sample tissue which is taken from the human body for some examination is known as biopsy. The word biopsy means both the process of taking the sample as well as the sample tissue.

Biopsy is generally used for diagnosing several conditions. The tissue cells that are examined depend on the nature of the medical condition which has to be diagnosed.

Biopsy can be taken form skin or organs like liver or heart. The way of performing biopsy is dependent on the body part from where the sample has been taken.

Even though biopsy is done as out patient procedure, certain biopsies like those from liver or heart may require the patient to stay overnight as it is usually done under general anaesthetic.

Under certain cases biopsies are done in the mid of a surgery to make a quick decision on the best viable treatment.

Necessity of biopsy

Biopsies are used by the doctors to diagnose a variety of situations ranging from a diagnosis for the confirmation of an ailment to finding out what is wrong exactly with a patient. Biopsies also help to understand the seriousness of the medical condition.

Examining the tissue sample under the microscope lets the doctor know if any cancerous conditions are there with the cells. It also let the doctor know if any other abnormalities are present in the cells.

In certain cases chemical test are performed on the sample tissue. The diagnosis for cystic fibrosis is done using chemical test. The test for cystic fibrosis is done by checking for a specific type of reaction due to the chemical which indicates the presence of the gene for the particular condition.

Chemical tests are also used to check the tissue sample from the placenta to help the parents determine if they want to continue or terminate the pregnancy.

But the normal conditions where biopsies are talked about is in association with cancer. They also help to eliminate various conditions. This also helps to find out if cancer really exists in a person. A doctor cannot confirm that a person has a benign or non-cancerous lump or a malignant or cancerous cell by just examining the growth on his or her skin. Biopsy helps the doctor with this information.

How is a biopsy done

Biopsy is done based on the type of sample tissue and the place of its origin.

Scraping the cells from the skin can be done like in the cervical smear test , which is done to check any abnormalities or the presence of cancerous cells in the cervix.

Needle biopsy is done under local anaesthesia for diagnosing breast cancer.

Endoscopy biopsy is done for looking into the internal organs like vagina. An alternative to endoscopy biopsy is capsule biopsy.

Excision biopsy is performed when the entire growth requires examination.

Recovery

Recovery is usually very fast, except in rare cases where severe bleeding happens.

Results

The results of biopsies can extend from a day to even six to seven weeks, depending on the medical condition. But in certain cases if the results are not clear, the process may be repeated.