2023-09-09 14:16:00
Thanks to Dr Jean-Philippe Masson, radiologist and president of the National Federation of Physicians Radiologists (FNMR).
What can a biopsy be done on?
It can be done on all tissues: skin, liver, breast, colon, bone, muscle. Depending on the area to be sampled, the doctor will use a simple needle (breast, thyroid, etc.), a scalpel (skin) or small forceps guided by an endoscope (colon, uterus, etc.). For hard-to-reach places, such as the brain, more extensive surgery, in hospital, is necessary. Warning: if you are taking anticoagulant or antiplatelet treatment such as aspirin, it is sometimes necessary to stop it beforehand to limit the risk of bleeding.
How long does it take to recover from a biopsy?
It may take a few days to recover, especially if there was general anesthesia. You should not hesitate to take paracetamol if it hurts or pulls following the procedure, but never take aspirin. It is common to have a bruise or even a hematoma at the injection site. On the other hand, if you feel a small lump or if you have a fever, you notify your doctor. After one skin biopsyapplying an antibiotic ointment for a few days helps to heal and prevent infections.
Is the biopsy done under anesthesia?
Yes, it is always done under anesthesia, even light, so as not to have pain. If the biopsy concerns a deep organ (liver, kidney, etc.), the specialist applies stronger local anesthesia with monitoring in hospital which lasts from a few hours to two days, depending on age or state of health. of the patient… General anesthesia is reserved for bone biopsy or to the brain biopsy.
What diseases can a biopsy detect?
It does not only detect cancers, even if, in the majority of cases, we actually seek to check if a suspicious lesion is cancerous or not. A biopsy may be requested to confirm a possible liver pathology (hepatitis, steatosis), to detect endometriosis or an inflammatory bowel disease such as Crohn’s disease. If you suffer from a stomach ulcer caused by the H. pylori bacteria, the sample helps determine the most effective antibiotic.
How long until you get your biopsy results?
It’s normal to wait (quite) a long time for the results, often between 1 and 3 weeks. Just because it’s long doesn’t mean it’s a bad sign.. The tissue taken is analyzed in a specialized anatomopathology laboratory, observed under a microscope, subjected to biochemical analysis… it takes time! The doctor then receives the results and calls us. Don’t panic if he asks for other tests or a new biopsy: sometimes the sample taken does not contain enough information to make a reliable diagnosis.
Are there alternatives to biopsy?
Not yet but “liquid biopsies” are being studied, particularly for detect cancers : a simple blood test (or a saliva sample) would make it possible to make the diagnosis by analyzing the cells loaded with the DNA of the tumor which circulate in the body. Less invasive, this procedure would be particularly interesting when the biopsy must be repeated in order to measure the effectiveness of the treatments.
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