A medical procedure used to diagnose a condition.

Most biopsies involve taking a small piece of skin or muscle under a local anesthetic. When the cells to be analyzed are accessible by needle, the biopsy specimen may be removed with a hollow aspiration needle, which is used to suck out the sample of cells. Aspirations are typically performed with local anesthesia; in addition, ultrasound imagery or other scanning devices may aid in locating the cells of interest. In cases where the cells are not accessible by needle, a longer tube called an endoscope may be inserted into the body with forceps attached for acquiring the specimen. Biopsy analysis is used in diagnosing cancer and muscular dystrophy.

For Further Study

Books

Talking with Your Child about Cancer. Bethesda, MD: National Cancer Institute, 1994.

Young People with Cancer: a Handbook for Parents. Bethesda, MD: National Cancer Institute, 1982.