Home > Encyclopedia of Neurological Disorders > Biopsy

Definition

A biopsy is the removal of a small portion of tissue from the body for microscopic examination.

Description

When a physician diagnoses the nature of an ailment, various examinations provide information that is vital to accurately determining the nature of the problem. Blood and urine samples can be examined to determine the amounts of various compounds. As useful as this information can be, it reveals little about the state of tissues. In diseases such as cancer, knowledge of the affected tissue is crucial for diagnosis and the formulation of treatment strategies.

Examination of tissues can be accomplished without obtaining a sample, using techniques like ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). However, the information gained may not be detailed enough for a definitive diagnosis. For...