“Is a biopsy done through radiology?”
How is a biopsy procedure carried out? Is it done through radiology or is it a surgical procedure?
7 Answers
Certain cancer tests such as breast biopsy use ultrasound, guided biopsy of lung nodule uses CT guided biopsy. These procedures are usually done by an intervention radiologist or surgeon.
It depends on the location of the body and the expertise of the individual physicians in your area. In our practice, the breast surgeons performed all of the biopsies even those that are guided by Radiology. There are, however, a large number of radiologists who are highly skilled at performing different types of biopsies.
Using image guidance. We do it all the time.
It depends on the type of cancer and where the cancer is located. Skin cancers are mainly diagnosed with excisions or superficial biopsies. Breast cancers are typically biopsied through radiology (although a surgeon could do this as well). Cancers in the gastrointestinal tract are usually diagnoses by the gastroenterologist when getting a colonoscopy or other type of scope. Cancers in deeper organs (lung, livers, bones, etc) are usually biopsied by the radiologist. If a radiologist cannot perform a biopsy safely, then perhaps a surgical biopsy will be recommended (this is seen with intra-abdominal cancers mostly).
Depending on the organ, either a surgeon or interventional radiologist will typically perform a biopsy.
There are 2 types of biopsy- needle and surgical.
The needle biopsy takes a small piece of the lump to test it and a surgical biopsy removes a bigger piece or the whole mass.
A needle biopsy can be done in the office without radiology if the doctor can feel the lump. It is done by radiology using ultrasound, mammogram, MRI, cat scan if the doctor cannot feel the lump.
A surgical biopsy is done in the operating room by a surgeon.
The needle biopsy takes a small piece of the lump to test it and a surgical biopsy removes a bigger piece or the whole mass.
A needle biopsy can be done in the office without radiology if the doctor can feel the lump. It is done by radiology using ultrasound, mammogram, MRI, cat scan if the doctor cannot feel the lump.
A surgical biopsy is done in the operating room by a surgeon.
It depends on the type of biopsy being done. It could be as simple as a "fine needle aspiration" (FNA) done in the doctors office to as complex as a full surgical case for an "excisional biopsy". Most fall somewhere in between. A large portion of biopsies are "CT guided biopsies" meaning they are done in Radiology. They use the CT images during the actual procedure to help ensure they biopsy the correct lesion.
