The term biopsy (Bx) refers to the removal and examination, gross and microscopic, of tissue or cells from the living body for the purpose of diagnosis. A variety of techniques exist for performing a biopsy of which the most common ones are:

Aspiration biopsy or bone marrow aspiration: Biopsy of material (fluid, cells or tissue) obtained by suction through a needle attached to a syringe.

Bone marrow biopsy: Examination of a piece of bone marrow by needle aspiration, can also be done as an open biopsy using a trephine (removing a circular disc of bone).

Curettage: Removal of growths or other material by scraping with a curette.

Excisional biopsy (total): The removal of a growth in its entirety by having a therapeutic as well as diagnostic purpose.

Incisional biopsy: Incomplete removal of a growth for the purpose of diagnostic study.

Needle biopsy: Same as aspiration biopsy.

Percutaneous biopsy: A needle biopsy with the needle going through the skin.

Punch biopsy: Biopsy of material obtained from the body tissue by a punch technique.

Sponge (gel foam) biopsy: Removal of materials (cells, particles of tissue, and tissue juices) by rubbing a sponge over a lesion or over a mucous membrane for examination.

Surface biopsy: Scraping of cells from surface epithelium, especially from the cervix, for microscopic examination.

Surgical biopsy: Removal of tissue from the body by surgical excision for examination. Total biopsy: See excisional biopsy.

Note: Any biopsy can be processed quickly by a frozen section technique or by routine fixation (permanent section) by H and E (Hematoxylin and Eosin) stain which usually takes 48 hours to prepare.

Click here to access an example of a biopsy report (Example G1). Abstract what you think is pertinent, and then compare with the suggested abstraction.