Needle Biopsy

A needle biopsy is a semi-invasive procedure designed to obtain a sample through a small incision (hole) on the skin. Sampling a fraction of a lesion generally leads to a definitive diagnosis. Soft tissues, organs, and bones can be sampled.

PROCEDURE

Blood tests or medication administration may be required before the procedure; In radiology, biopsies are performed in a CT-Scan or ultrasound exam room to locate the lesion to be biopsied; Usually, a simple local anesthesia, injection at the biopsy site, is enough to ensure the patient's comfort and no hospitalization is necessary; In rare cases, sedation, spinal anesthesia, or general anesthesia is required, requiring a brief hospitalization of a few hours. After a 2mm incision, a needle is advanced to the lesion. Once in place, the needle is used to obtain several samples (2 to 10); This incision will leave a very small scar. The skin is then covered with a dressing to be kept for 3 days; The total duration is about 1 hour. RISKS The procedure is associated with low risks of bleeding or infection Mild pain may be expected after the procedure Signs to watch after the procedure are:

1- Progressive or uncontrolled pain by medication

2- Swelling or discharge at the biopsy site

3- Fever

4- Bleeding