Getting a Biopsy: How to Prepare

Physical and mental preparation before getting results

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A biopsy is the process by which a healthcare provider takes a tissue sample to examine under a microscope for abnormalities. The tissue sample can come from almost any internal or external body part, such as your organs or skin.

When a healthcare provider performs a biopsy, they send the tissue sample to a laboratory for a specially trained healthcare provider (a pathologist) to examine it under a microscope. Your healthcare provider uses the biopsy results to determine the best treatment options.

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Your Provider Ordered a Biopsy: What Does It Mean?

Healthcare providers order biopsies when they suspect the presence of a specific disease and want to look at a tissue sample for clues to support their possible diagnosis. They can perform many biopsies as same-day, outpatient procedures.

After the healthcare provider collects the tissue sample, they send it to a laboratory where a pathologist will examine the biopsy under a microscope. The pathologist details the microscopic findings in a pathology report to share with the ordering provider. Your healthcare providers can use the information contained in the pathology report to determine the best treatment options for any tissue disease or abnormalities they identify.

There are various reasons a healthcare provider will order a biopsy, including:

  • To assist with determining the presence of cancer
  • To identify inflammation in organs like the liver (hepatitis) or skin (dermatitis)
  • To identify the presence of infections, such as bone infections (osteomyelitis)
  • To diagnose various skin conditions, like psoriasis or rashes

How Different Types of Biopsies Work

Almost any organ can be biopsied. Most biopsies can be performed in an outpatient setting, such as a provider's office or another procedure location, and you can go home the same day. There are different methods for performing a biopsy:

  • Punch biopsy: A punch biopsy uses a special instrument that takes a small sample. Punch biopsies are usually for obtaining skin samples for a pathologist to review under a microscope for abnormalities.
  • With a needle: A healthcare provider uses a needle to take a small tissue sample. Depending on how deep the provider needs to go into the body for the tissue sample, they might use imaging machines, such as ultrasound or computed tomography (CT) scanners, to guide the needle to the sample location. Examples of needle biopsies include bone marrow aspirations and breast biopsies.
  • With an endoscope: An endoscope is a thin tube containing a light and camera, which enters the body through the mouth or anus. Endoscopic biopsies help healthcare providers visualize the biopsy site and remove a sample for testing. Examples of endoscopic biopsies include colonoscopy and bronchoscopy.
  • Excision biopsy: An excision biopsy is a type of surgery that removes an entire area of abnormal cells. A surgeon often removes normal tissue around the abnormal biopsy sample to ensure all abnormal cells are removed. Excision biopsies are typically for removing suspected skin cancer or precancerous tissue in the intestines (called colon polyps).
  • With surgery: During a surgical procedure, it is sometimes necessary to remove abnormal tissue for immediate review by a pathologist. The immediate pathology review is conducted to guide the surgeon if more tissue needs removal while the surgery is still in progress.

Are Biopsies for Cancer Only?

Almost any organ can be biopsied, and biopsies are performed for diseases other than cancer:

  • Bone biopsies look for signs of infection, such as osteomyelitis.
  • A liver biopsy can help diagnose a liver infection, such as hepatitis or cirrhosis.
  • Muscle and nerve biopsies can diagnose muscle or nerve diseases, such as muscular dystrophy.
  • Testicular biopsies can determine possible causes of male infertility.

Will a Biopsy Hurt? 

You may experience minor pain after a biopsy; however, your provider will administer a sedative or anesthesia to minimize pain and discomfort during the procedure.

  • Sedatives: Medications that create a feeling of relaxation and minimize anxiety.
  • Local anesthesia: Given at or near the biopsy site to block pain and sensation in a specific area.
  • Regional anesthesia: Regional anesthesia causes pain and sensation loss in a larger body area, such as a leg or arm.
  • General anesthesia: General anesthesia causes total loss of pain, feeling, and awareness. A specially trained healthcare provider, such as an anesthesiologist, administers general anesthesia.

When the biopsy process is complete, there might be a dull ache or pain at or near the biopsy site. The healthcare provider might recommend over-the-counter pain medications such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen or prescribe more potent pain medication.

Stress Management Techniques

Anxiety is a common feeling for many people who are anticipating an upcoming biopsy. To help alleviate anxiety, music therapy can help. Other relaxation techniques to try for anxiety relief include:

  • Acupuncture
  • Massage
  • Mindfulness and meditation
  • Movement (e.g., yoga or tai chi)
  • Nutrition

Recovering From Different Types of Biopsies

Biopsy recovery depends on the type of biopsy you have and your health history. For most biopsies, bleeding or bruising at the biopsy site is expected.

  • After a needle biopsy, you might feel a sharp pinch at the biopsy site. If your provider uses a local anesthetic, you may feel sore after the drug wears off.
  • After excisional or surgical biopsies, you can expect soreness at the biopsy site for a few days.

During recovery, healthcare providers will advise you to monitor the biopsy area for signs and symptoms of infection. If pus-like drainage occurs or redness or swelling increases, notifying a healthcare provider immediately is essential.

When Are Biopsy Results Ready?

Waiting for the results of a biopsy can be just as nerve-wracking as the lead-up to the procedure. The timeline of results depends on a few factors, such as:

  • The type of biopsy
  • The organ or tissue biopsied
  • The urgency of your case

During a surgical biopsy, your provider may work closely with a pathologist for near-real-time preliminary results in case the surgeon needs to remove additional tissue.

Next Steps After Biopsy Results 

Biopsy results can be confusing.

  • Positive biopsy results mean that the pathologist did identify the presence of a particular disease or condition.
  • Negative results mean that the pathologist did not identify a disease or condition.

If your biopsy results are positive, your healthcare provider might need to order additional testing. For example, a positive muscle biopsy might lead to neuromuscular testing. Suppose the biopsy sample is positive for cancer. In that case, your provider will probably order additional testing to determine whether the cancer has spread and, if so, to which areas of the body.

Summary

A biopsy is a medical test by which a healthcare provider removes a small tissue sample from your body. A pathologist examines it under a microscope and shares a detailed report of their findings with your healthcare provider. Biopsies can assist healthcare providers in determining if there is a disease process, such as infection or cancer, present. When the biopsy results are finalized, your healthcare provider can develop a treatment plan for your disease or condition.

6 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
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By Pamela Assid, DNP, RN
Pamela Assid, DNP, RN, is a board-certified nursing specialist with over 25 years of expertise in emergency, pediatric, and leadership roles.