Types of Biopsy...
Fine needle aspiration is a technique widely used in Sweden for decades but only recently has become commonly used in the US. FNA is performed using a needle no larger than one typically used to give an injection; it is inserted into a lump or tumor and thousands of cells are drawn up into the needle.For tumors located deep within the body such as lung, pancreas, liver, and thyroid fine needle aspiration allows biopsy without major surgery. FNA can be performed under the direction of a radiologist and anethesia is not required. Major surgery may still be neccessary for some patients due to other complications; pancreatic cancer often causes pressing on the bile ducts and requires surgery to reroute the bile duct of patients who have become jaudiced or yellow from the build up of bile in their system.
An excisional biopsy removes a whole lump or an entire organ; this type of biopsy is less common today due to fine needle aspiration, however some types of tumors such as; lymphoma, breast lumps, and the spleen are still usually biopsied using the excisional method.
Lymphoma can only be properly examined if the whole cell is present. Many physicians prefer to remove complete breast lumps to achieve the greatest accuracy in diagnosis and the spleen cannot be cut into without danger so most surgeons will opt for complete removal of the spleen.
For tumors of the soft tissues (fat, muscle, and connective tissues) an incisional biopsy is usually performed and only a portion of the tumor is removed for evaluation. The purpose of this type of biopsy is to determine weather the tumor is a malingant tumor, called sarcomas or a benign condition.
Endoscopic biopsy is a commonly performed type of biopsy. A fiberoptic endoscope is inserted into the body through the appropriate body orifice or a small surgical incision. A fiberoptic endoscope is a flexible tube which allows visual examination and biopsy of an abnormal area, in the lining of the organ in question. Tiny bits of tissue are removed with forceps attached to the end of a long cable inside the endoscope. These tissues are then examined by the pathologist.
A colposcopic biopsy is performed by your gynecologist, usually in his office to further evaluate abnormal pap smear results. Most abnormal pap smear results do not indicate cancer. A coloposcope is placed about six inches from the vagina and allows a visual examination of the cervix as well as, allowing the removal of cells for biopsy.
Dermatologists typically use a punch biopsy to evaluate skin rashes and small areas of concern. A punch biopsy is performed using an instrument much like a small cookie cutter; a round tissue sample, about 3-4 cm is removed and the area is usually closed with a suture.
A bone marrow biopsy is performed when abnormal and unexplained blood count results are received. Unexplained anemia, high white cell count, and low platelet counts are indicators for bone marrow biopsy. Anesthesia is used but it may still be uncomfortable because it is impossible to deaden the inside of the bone.
A bone marrow biopsy is taken while the patient lies on their stomach and is usually removed from the posterior superior iliac spine, the part of your back where bikini dimples are often seen.
A bone marrow biopsy is much like a fine needle aspiration; but a larger and stronger needle is required to bread through the bone to the marrow. This is usually followed by a core biopsy which removes calcium from the bone to make the bone softer so the needle can reach the inner bone to remove tissue samples.
Once the biopsy tissue sample is removed it is sent to the pathologist and only the pathologists report can give you a definite cancer diagnosis.
