Biopsy

A biopsy is a medical test commonly performed by surgeons, interventional radiologists, interventional cardiologists, dermatologists, gynecologists, pulmonologists, urologists, ophthalmologists, internists, family physicians, otolaryngologists, gastroenterologists, podiatrists and dentists, involving the extraction of sample cells or tissue for examination to determine the presence or extent of a disease. The tissue may be fixed, dehydrated, embedded, sectioned, stained and mounted before examination under a microscope by a pathologist, or analyzed chemically; an excisional biopsy removes an entire lump or suspicious area, incisional and core biopsies sample a portion of abnormal tissue, a fine needle aspiration biopsy removes cells with a needle without preserving tissue architecture, and other types include punch and shave biopsies, most commonly performed for insight into possible cancerous or inflammatory conditions.