Yashoda Hospitals > Diagnostics > Biopsy test

What is Biopsy?

A biopsy is a diagnostic test in which a sample of the skin, tissue, organ, or tumour is extracted and examined to confirm the disease or illness. The sample is extracted surgically, especially for examination or, in some cases, samples are extracted during the surgery or operation and sent for examination.

The biopsy includes a histopathological examination of the samples to look for changes at the cellular levels. Most commonly, a biopsy is performed for differentiation between cancerous and non-cancerous cells. While imaging techniques can identify the area of concern, biopsy testing is a GOLD standard to confirm the diagnosis and take appropriate measures accordingly.

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    Frequently Asked Questions

    A biopsy is a confirmatory diagnostic test most commonly used in the diagnosis of various cancers and to differentiate cancer cells from non-cancerous cells. Biopsies can be used for confirming the diagnosis of various other conditions such as hepatic cirrhosis, polycystic fibrosis of the breast, fibrosis of other tissues, invasive fungal disease, etc.

    Although biopsy reports are meant for physicians or surgeons, you might be able to interpret the test results. The report will have a macroscopic examination, i.e. observations under the naked eye, microscopic examination, i.e. detailed cellular-level structure descriptions, and invasion. The grading of the tumour will help to understand the spread and differentiation of the cells.

    Grade

    Description

    Grade 1

    Normal appearing cells with no sign of rapid spread

    Grade 2

    Cells with a slight abnormality

    Grade 3

    Abnormal cells with rapid spread

    One of the main uses of biopsy tests is to confirm the diagnosis of various cancers, autoimmune diseases, infections, invasive and inflammatory conditions. Although other tests could be used to diagnose these conditions, biopsy confirms the findings and gives the doctor confidence to start the appropriate treatment.

    Most biopsy samples are taken in an outpatient setting and do not require hospitalization or admission except for invasive biopsies. The test is done under anesthesia to extract the skin, tissue, bone marrow, or tumour cells, through small incisions or needles. After extraction, the sample is sent for analysis. The report is usually available in 7-10 days.

    Usually, all biopsies associated with incision leave a scar that could be prominent, depending upon the site of the incision and the skin area. The scars fade away gradually but could remain forever. Needle biopsy also has the risk of leaving small circular scars, while incision biopsies leave scars of the shape of the incision.

    Most biopsy procedures are pain-free as they are done under local or general anesthesia. You will not feel any pain in simple biopsies; however, in the case of invasive biopsies, pain could be felt once the effect of anesthesia fades away. In such complex biopsies, your doctor could give painkillers or sedatives to block the pain receptors.

    Before you undergo a biopsy, you may need to undergo various imaging tests such as Computerized Tomography (CT) scan or Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) to identify the appropriate site of the biopsy. In a few cases, you can get a prick test done to test for any allergies to the anesthesia medication.

    A biopsy is usually a safe and low-risk procedure, and, during the test, care is taken to just extract the required sample. Most of the biopsies are without any major side effects; however, there is always a risk of bleeding or infection. In biopsies with small incisions or using needles, the risk is quite low.

    Recovery will depend upon the type of biopsy, site of extraction, age, and overall health. Recovery is marked as the closure of the incision, absence of infection/swelling, and return to normal activities. For the majority of biopsies, the recovery time can vary from 1-7 days; however, few biopsies, such as a prostate biopsy, can take up to 2-6 weeks for recovery.

    Your doctor could recommend a second biopsy in the following conditions:

    • Results from the first sample are inconclusive
    • Sample extracted from incorrect area
    • Sample not large enough for proper examination
    • Following treatment to assess the remaining disease or look for changes in tissue pathology