Tissue Biopsy, why does your doctor recommend it??

The biopsy is a diagnostic process of collecting a sample of cells, tissues, or a tiny part of any organ like skin or liver to observe in a medical laboratory. The sole purpose of a biopsy is to analyse the sample tissue for cancerous growth, some microbial infections or diseases, inflammation or injuries, etc. Tissue biopsy is not a treatment for any disease or condition.

In this article, you will learn about tissue biopsy, how it is carried from different body tissues, what the complications associated with the procedure are, and why it is essential.

Tissue Biopsy Procedures: what you must know

Tissue biopsy is the extraction of a very minute part of the body organ, just a tiny group of cells of the same kind, and checking them in the laboratory. The tissue sample is tested through various biochemical procedures and microbial examinations. According to the type of tissue and the suspected infection, there are different methods of biopsies. These include,

Needle Biopsy

This percutaneous biopsy procedure involves the insertion of a sterilised biopsy needle in the skin. According to the tissue sample collected, the needle is inserted into the suspected area, like subcutaneous tissue, breast lumps, swollen lymph nodes, and those suspected areas that are identified by the doctor, etc. There are four methods of needle biopsy, which include,

• 1. Needle insertion: Sterilised fine needle is injected into the target region. Through this method, fluid and the associated tissue are extracted from the body using the syringe. This process is called fine-needle aspiration.
• 2. Vacuum-assisted: It is based on a suction device that causes the extraction of the material from the body. This is more suitable than needle-assisted therapy because doctors don’t need to insert needles repeatedly. 
• 3. Core needle: This process involves a larger needle for tissue collection. In order to cut the tissue from any organ, this needle has a tapering end for easing cutting and collection. 
• 4. Imaging-assisted biopsy: With the help of MRI, ultrasound, and X-ray, the procedure of taking a particular tissue is carried out. This process is very helpful in taking the samples from areas that are not felt from the skin, like, the lungs, liver, prostate, etc. Biopsy practitioners use real-time technology to make sure that the tissue sample collected is from the correct location. 
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Endoscopic Biopsy

This biopsy technique involves the use of a light camera on the tip of the biopsy tube to visualize the inner segments of the target tissue from where the tissue sample is extracted. In order to cut the part of the tissue, the biopsy tube is equipped with additional cutting tools. Parts of the body from where endoscopy can proceed:

• 1. Rectum: Doctors can insert an endoscope from the rectum if they want to take the intestinal tissue samples or from the lower half of the body.
• 2. Urinary Tract: Biopsy practitioners insert the endoscope from the urinary tract when there is an infection in the urinary tract or when there is a problem in the kidneys.
• 3. Mouth: The doctors will insert an endoscope from the mouth towards the oesophagus and stomach if the doctor suspects some problem in the intestine, stomach, or the complete gut. 
• 4. Skin: For infections in percutaneous tissues and muscles beneath the skin, like fungus infections, doctors take skin biopsy samples.
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1. Cystoscopy: It is a type of endoscopy which is used for the collection of tissue samples from inside the urinary bladder. 
2. Bronchoscopy: This procedure is employed to extract a portion of lung tissues.
3. Colonoscopy: This endoscopic biopsy procedure entails the insertion of the endoscope (tissue collecting tube with a camera) into the colon to observe problems in the lower abdominal regions of the body.

• Local anaesthesia is administered to desensitise the particular location where the biopsy will be carried on. 
• In some biopsy cases, doctors recommend sedatives rather than anaesthesia to make the person unconscious during the biopsy procedure.

Why biopsy??

Biopsy 

Significance of biopsy over other imaging tests MRI, CT, X-ray scans:

Diagnostic imaging examinations such as MRI, CT, ultrasound, and X-rays provide information about the exact location of infected tissues, the severity of infection, infected masses, and irregularities in tissue structure. However, cancer can not be detected completely through these diagnostic tests. To determine the difference between cancer-infected cells and noncancerous cells, doctors need tissue biopsy. This process tends to get a closer look at the tissue samples to detect the type of cancer and identify the type of microorganisms which have affected the tissue layers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. Is biopsy a treatment process?

Tissue biopsy is the extraction of a very minute part of the body organ, just a tiny group of cells of the same kind, and checking them in the laboratory. The tissue sample is tested through various biochemical procedures and microbial examinations. 

Q2. Why did my doctor recommend a biopsy even after an MRI?

Diagnostic imaging examinations such as MRI, CT, ultrasound, and X-rays provide information about the exact location of infected tissues, the severity of infection, infected masses, and irregularities in tissue structure. However, cancer can not be detected completely through these diagnostic tests. To determine the difference between cancer-infected cells and noncancerous cells, doctors need tissue biopsy. This process tends to get a closer look at the tissue samples to detect the type of cancer and identify the type of microorganisms which has affected the tissue layers.

Q3. What are the different ways in which a biopsy can be performed?

Tissue biopsy is performed in various ways, which are grouped into needle biopsy and endoscopic biopsy.  

Needle biopsy is a percutaneous biopsy procedure involving the insertion of a sterilised biopsy needle in the skin. There are four methods of needle biopsy, which include,

1. 1. Needle insertion or fine-needle aspiration.
2. 2. Vacuum-assisted is based on a suction process for tissue extraction.
3. 3. The core needle involves a larger tapered needle for tissue collection. 
4. 4. An imaging-assisted biopsy is done with the help of MRI, ultrasound, and X-ray. 
5.  

Endoscopic biopsy involves a light camera on the tip of the biopsy tube to visualize inner segments of the target tissue from where the tissue sample is extracted. Various types of endoscopic biopsies are, 

1. 1. Cystoscopy
2. 2. Bronchoscopy
3. 3. Colonoscopy
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Q4. What are the different endoscopic biopsies?

1. 1. Cystoscopy: It is a type of endoscopy which is used for the collection of tissue samples from inside the urinary bladder. 
2. 2. Bronchoscopy: This procedure is employed to extract a portion of lung tissues.
3. 3. Colonoscopy: This endoscopic biopsy procedure entails the insertion of the endoscope (tissue collecting tube with a camera) into the colon to observe problems in the lower abdominal regions of the body.
4.  

Q5. Which type of anesthesia is administered before biopsy?

1. 1. Local anesthesia is administered to desensitize the particular location where the biopsy will be carried on. 
2. 2. Sedatives: In some biopsy cases, doctors recommend sedatives rather than anesthesia to make the person unconscious during the biopsy procedure.
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