Medical term:

Biopsy

biopsy

[bi´op-se]

removal and examination, usually microscopic, of tissue from the living body, often to determine whether a tumor is malignant or benign; biopsies are also done for diagnosis of disease processes such as infections.

Technique for endometrial biopsy. Longitudinal strips of the endometrium are sampled using an in-and-out and rotational motion. From Rakel, 2000.

aspiration biopsy one in which tissue is obtained by application of suction through a needle attached to a syringe.

brush biopsy one in which the sample is obtained by a brush with stiff bristles introduced through an endoscope, such as for a tissue sample from an inaccessible place such as the renal pelvis or bronchus.

chorionic villus biopsy chorionic villus sampling.

cone biopsy one in which an inverted cone of tissue is excised, as from the uterine cervix.

endoscopic biopsy removal of tissue by instruments inserted through an endoscope.

excisional biopsy removal of biopsy tissue by surgical cutting, such as a lumpectomy.

fine-needle aspiration biopsy aspiration biopsy using a fine needle. For superficial tissue such as the thyroid, breast, or prostate the needle is unguided, but for deep tissue it must be guided radiologically.

incisional biopsy biopsy of a selected portion of a lesion.

needle biopsy (percutaneous biopsy) one in which tissue is obtained by insertion through the skin of a special type of needle (see biopsy needle).

punch biopsy one in which tissue is obtained by a punch-type instrument.

sentinel node biopsy biopsy of a sentinel node (the first lymph node to receive lymphatic drainage from a malignant tumor). It is identified as follows: a dye and a radioactive substance are injected into the body, which causes certain nodes to “light up” like a sentinel, indicating that they are the most appropriate ones for examination. They are detected by both the light created by the dye and the radioactive substance that is monitored by a gamma camera. If the sentinel nodes do not contain malignant cells, this usually eliminates the need for removal of more distal nodes. Called also intraoperative lymphatic mapping.

shave biopsy biopsy of a skin lesion by excising it with a cut parallel to the surface of the surrounding skin.

stereotactic biopsy biopsy of the brain using a stereotactic technique to locate the biopsy site. This can be done as a minimally invasive surgery technique. The patient's head is held in a special rigid frame so that a probe can be directed into the brain through a small hole in the skull.

sternal biopsy biopsy of bone marrow of the sternum removed by puncture or trephining; see also sternal puncture.

bi·op·sy (Bx),

(bī'op-sē),

1. Process of removing tissue from patients for diagnostic examination.

2. A specimen obtained by biopsy.

[bio- + G. opsis, vision]

Farlex Partner Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012

biopsy

(bī′ŏp′sē)

n. pl. biop·sies

1. The removal and examination of a sample of tissue from a living body for diagnostic purposes.

2. A sample so obtained.

tr.v. biop·sied, biop·sying, biop·sies

To remove (tissue) from a living body for diagnostic purposes.

bi·op′sic (bī-ŏp′sĭk), bi·op′tic (-tĭk) adj.

biopsy

(1) A surgical procedure in which a small piece of tissue is removed from a patient.
(2) The tissue itself; the histological changes seen in the biopsy are interpreted by a pathologist, usually under a microscope, who renders a diagnosis based on relatively standard morphologic criteria.

Many biopsies are performed in an ambulatory (“outpatient”) setting and can be obtained by direct visualisation, or during an endoscopic procedures of the GI tract and elsewhere; when a suspicious lesion is detected, a small pincer is inserted through a fiberoptic endoscope, and a small portion removed for microscopic evaluation; usually, the tissue is fixed, processed in various solvents, embedded in paraffin, stained and examined by light microscopy. Less commonly, other techniques—e.g., immunofluorescence and electron microscopy—may be required to establish a diagnosis. While an experienced pathologist can readily evaluate most biopsy specimens, there are instances in which the tissue diagnosis cannot be made; in these cases, the specimen is sent to expert consultants for further evaluation.

Reasons for performing biopsy
(1) Diagnosis disease;
(2) Determine extent of disease—e.g., metastasis in cancer;
(3) Determine adequacy of surgical removal—e.g., tumours.

biopsy

noun A term for

1. A surgical procedure in which a small piece of tissue is removed from a Pt.

2. The tissue itself; the changes in the biopsy are interpreted by a pathologist, usually under a microscope, who renders a diagnosis based on relatively standard morphologic criteria. See Abdominal wall fat pad biopsy, Agonal biopsy, Aspiration biopsy, Biochemical biopsy, Blastocyst biopsy, Blind biopsy, Bone marrow aspiration & biopsy, Breast biopsy, Cervical biopsy, Chorionic villus biopsy, Cleavage stage biopsy, Cold cone biopsy, Cone biopsy, Core biopsy, Endobronchial biopsy, Endometrial biopsy, Endomyocardial biopsy, Endoscopic biopsy, Excisional biopsy, Fine needle aspiration biopsy, Guided wire open biopsy, Heart biopsy, Incisional biopsy, Jumbo biopsy, Metabolic biopsy, Microbiopsy, Mirror image biopsy, Muscle biopsy, Needle biopsy, Nerve biopsy, Open biopsy, Open lung biopsy, Pleural biopsy, Polar body biopsy, Prostate biopsy, Punch biopsy, Renal biopsy, Salivary gland biopsy, Saucerization biopsy, Sentinel lymph node biopsy, Sextant biopsy, Shave biopsy, Skin biopsy, Skinny biopsy, Skinny needle biopsy, Small intestinal biopsy, Stereotactic biopsy, Stereotactic needle biopsy, Transbronchial needle biopsy, Transbronchial biopsy, Wedge biopsy, Wire-guide excisional biopsy.

bi·op·sy

(bī'op-sē)

1. Process of removing tissue from living patients for macroscopic diagnostic examination.

2. A specimen obtained by brush or needle and syringe aspiration for biopsy.

[bio- + G. opsis, vision]

Medical Dictionary for the Health Professions and Nursing © Farlex 2012

biopsy

(bi'op?se) [ bio- + -opsy],

bx

A tissue sample removed from the body for microscopic examination, usually to establish a diagnosis. The tissue can be obtained surgically or by aspiration. The procedure can be guided by computed tomography, ultrasonography, magnetic resonance imaging, or radiography, or it can be performed without imaging, i.e., “blindly”.

aspiration biopsy

Needle biopsy.

blind biopsy

A biopsy taken without radiographic guidance or strong evidence of localized disease.

brush biopsy

The removal of cells from an organ by rubbing them loose.

cone biopsy

Removal of a cone shaped piece of tissue from the uterine cervix to diagnose or treat cervical diseases. The procedure may be performed with a scalpel, carbon dioxide (CO₂) laser, or Loop Electrosurgical Excision Procedure (LEEP).

endometrial biopsy

The removal of a sample of uterine endometrium for microscopic study. The procedure is commonly used in fertility assessment to confirm ovulation and to determine the cause of dysfunctional or postmenopausal bleeding.

FINE NEEDLE BREAST BIOPSY

fine needle aspiration biopsy

Abbreviation: FNA biopsy

The removal of cells or tissue through a long, narrow-gauge needle with or without radiological guidance.

See: illustration

fine-needle nonaspiration biopsy

Fine-needle capillary sampling.

liver biopsy

1. The percutaneous removal of tissue from the liver with a large-bore needle that captures a core of tissue.

2. A wedge of the liver obtained during laparotomy or laparoscopy.

muscle biopsy

The removal of muscle tissue for microscopic examination and chemical analysis.

needle biopsy

The withdrawal of fluid or tissue by means of negative pressure applied with needle and syringe.

Synonym: aspiration biopsy

percutaneous breast biopsy

Use of a directional, high-speed, rotating cutter attached to a vacuum source to gather multiple contiguous core samples of breast tissue through a single point of insertion. This minimally invasive procedure is usually performed under local anesthesia, using stereotactic imaging or real-time ultrasonography.

percutaneous renal biopsy

Obtaining renal tissue for analysis with a needle inserted through the skin, usually done after the kidney has been localized by ultrasound, computed tomography, or angiography. This technique is used to establish a diagnosis of renal dysfunction, determine prognosis in patients with renal disease, evaluate the extent of renal injury, and determine appropriate therapy. The most common complication is urinary bleeding, which tends to clear gradually over several days.

percutaneous transthoracic needle aspiration biopsy

Use of a radiographically guided aspiration needle to obtain a sample of tissue in cases of suspected pulmonary malignancies or other unknown lesions. Because of the risk of pneumothorax, the procedure is usually contraindicated in patients receiving mechanical ventilation.

punch biopsy

The removal of a small piece of tissue (usually of the skin) with a hollow, round cutting tool.

sentinel node biopsy

A technique for identifying the initial site of cancer metastasis. After injection of a radioactive tracer directly into the tumor mass, the tissue is massaged to encourage uptake of tracer by lymphatic vessels. A negative biopsy of the first node infiltrated by the tracer suggests that the malignancy has not yet spread to neighboring regional lymph nodes.

shave biopsy

Removal of a shallow layer of skin with a cutting instrument, e.g., a scalpel, sawing parallel to the skin surface. A shave biopsy may leave a small depression in the skin.

CAUTION!

It should not be used to remove lesions suspected for melanoma or lesions that seem to have significant depth.

suction biopsy

A technique for obtaining tissue by aspiration, e.g., to obtain tissue from the mucosa of the stomach and intestines.

vacuum-assisted biopsy

A biopsy technique in which a hypodermic probe is placed through the skin into an organ of the body (such as the breast), and negative pressure is used to draw one or more samples into a chamber, where they are captured and removed for analysis under a microscope.

biopsy

A small sample of tissue, taken for microscopic examination, so that the nature of a disease process can be determined. Breast biopsies are commonly done to investigate suspicious lumps. Suspicious skin growths are normally biopsied, and in the course of surgery under general anaesthesia, it is common for biopsies to be taken. The tissue obtained is soaked in molten paraffin wax and allowed to harden into a block. Very thin slices are then cut and mounted on glass slides for staining and examination by a histopathologist.

biopsy

the surgical removal of small amounts of tissue for examination to aid a diagnosis.

Biopsy

Removal of a small piece of tissue for microscopic examination. This is done under local anesthesia and removed by either using a scalpel or a punch, which removes a small cylindrical portion of tissue.

Mentioned in: Abdominal Ultrasound, Actinomycosis, Acute Lymphangitis, Anal Cancer, Balantidiasis, Bladder Cancer, Blastomycosis, Bone Biopsy, Brain Abscess, Breast Cancer, Budd-Chiari Syndrome, Cervical Cancer, Cervical Conization, Choriocarcinoma, Colonoscopy, Colposcopy, Cryptococcosis, Endometrial Biopsy, Erythema Nodosum, Fibroadenoma, Head and Neck Cancer, Hepatitis, Autoimmune, Histiocytosis X, Hypogonadism, Immune Complex Test, Kidney Biopsy, Kidney Cancer, Laparoscopy, Leukemias, Chronic, Leukocytosis, Liver Biopsy, Liver Disease, Malabsorption Syndrome, Malignant Lymphomas, Mycetoma, Myelofibrosis, Neuroblastoma, Otitis Externa, Pancreatic Cancer, Endocrine, Pancreatic Cancer, Exocrine, Photosensitivity, Pneumocystis Pneumonia, Polycystic Kidney Disease, Primary Biliary Cirrhosis, Prostate Biopsy, Prostate-Specific Antigen Test, Rabies, Salivary Gland Tumors, Sigmoidoscopy, Stomach Cancer, Temporal Arteritis, Testicular Surgery, Thyroid Biopsy, Thyroid Cancer, Tumor Markers, Vulvar Cancer, Waldenström's Macroglobulinemia, Wilms' Tumor, Wilson Disease

bi·op·sy

(bī'op-sē)

1. Process of removing tissue from patients for diagnostic examination.

2. A specimen obtained by biopsy.

[bio- + G. opsis, vision]

Patient discussion about Biopsy

Q. I have seen that there are many types of biopsy done for a breast cancer patient…….. I have seen that there are many types of biopsy done for a breast cancer patient…….. On what basis they decide the mode of treatment?

A. on what stage of development the cancer is, did it spread over to lymph nodes, the type of the breast cancer, estrogen-receptor levels, the aggressiveness of the tumor and even the woman's age...

Q. What are side effects after you have had a temporal arteritis biopsy?

A. like every biopsy- when there are anatomical variations you might cause damage. but that is fairly rare...from what i remember it's a very safe procedure.

Q. I had a breast biopsy and I am wondering what could be the chances for me to have breast cancer? I am 23 years female and new to this site. Last week I had a breast biopsy and I am wondering what could be the chances for me to have breast cancer? Any idea……

More discussions about Biopsy

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