Biopsy for Diagnosis
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A biopsy is a small sample of cells or tissue from the body that is studied to determine if disease is present.
At Weill Cornell Medicine, biopsies are studied by our nationally renowned pathologists, who determine whether or not cancer is present. If it is present, they also determine what type of cancer and how fast it is likely to grow. This information is important for personalizing treatment.
Biopsies collected with interventional radiology procedures do not require a large incision, so they are less painful and faster to recover from.
Interventional Needle Biopsy
During this procedure, the area to be biopsied is first numbed with local anesthetic.
Imaging technology (x-ray, CT, ultrasound or MRI) is used to guide a thin tool directly to the biopsy site. The tool may be a thin needle, a hollow needle or a suction device. The tool then takes samples of the tissue.
Typically, an image-guided interventional needle biopsy takes less than an hour.
Minimally Invasive Needle Biopsy Procedures
Before the biopsy procedure, you will be asked to change into a gown and will be escorted to the procedure room, where you will lie down on an examination table.
Your interventional radiologist will create a small incision in your skin and guide a catheter (long, thin tube) to the site requiring the biopsy. The catheter has a needle device attached to it, which will collect specific cells. The catheter, needle and your cells will then be removed and a bandage will be applied to the incision. Your cells will be sent to a laboratory for close examination.
The entire procedure will take about 30 minutes and you will be able to return home within a few hours.
Lung Cancer Screening
Weill Cornell Medicine’s Lung Cancer Screening Program is committed to responsible, high-quality screening practices. A multidisciplinary team of pulmonologists (doctors specializing in lung health), thoracic (lung) surgeons, oncologists (doctors specializing in cancer care) and radiologists (doctors specializing in imaging the body), collaborate to provide our patients with specialized care should further testing or treatment be necessary.