A biopsy provides direct evidence of disease by examining tissue architecture and cellular details.

It can be performed using different techniques depending on the site and clinical suspicion:

Needle biopsy (fine-needle aspiration, core biopsy).

Incisional biopsy (removing part of a lesion).

Excisional biopsy (removing the entire lesion).

Endoscopic or surgical biopsy (internal organs).

Clinical uses include:

Diagnosing malignant tumors and differentiating benign from malignant lesions.

Evaluating chronic inflammatory or autoimmune conditions.

Detecting infectious diseases (e.g., TB, fungal infections).

Assessing organ-specific pathology (liver, kidney, lung, GI tract, skin, etc.).

The specimen is processed by histopathology, often with special stains, immunohistochemistry, or molecular testing.

Analyte: Tissue specimen (size and type vary depending on biopsy method).

Normal Result: Normal tissue architecture without evidence of malignancy or disease.

Abnormal Findings:

Malignant cells: Confirms cancer diagnosis.

Inflammatory changes: Suggests infection, autoimmune disease, or chronic inflammation.

Degenerative changes: Indicates organ-specific pathology.

Clinical Use:

Provides a definitive diagnosis in suspected cancer cases.

Helps determine tumor grade, stage, and margins.

Guides surgical, medical, and therapeutic management.