Image-Guided Biopsy
The board-certified interventional radiologists at Florida Endovascular and Interventional in South Florida regularly perform a variety of image-guided biopsies, to either confirm or rule out a cancer diagnosis.
We most often see patients who have suspected cancer of the liver, kidney, lung, bone, bone marrow, thyroid, or lymph nodes.
Benefits of an image-guided biopsy rather than a surgical biopsy include that these minimally invasive procedures can easily be done on a same-day, outpatient basis – right here in the Florida Endovascular and Interventional surgery suite. These methods of biopsy also preserve the surrounding body tissue and cause the least amount of intrusion or harm during the biopsy.
Common Types of Image-Guided Biopsies We Perform
The type of image-guided biopsy that is performed – along with the imaging equipment used – will depend on the specific location and nature of the abnormality that is being sampled. Imaging guidance may be provided using ultrasound, fluoroscopy (X-ray), computed tomography (CT), or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
Needle Biopsies
Needle biopsies may be performed to analyze tissue samples from the liver, kidneys, lungs, bones, bone marrow, thyroid, or lymph nodes. Some of the most common types of image-guided needle biopsies we perform include:
A fine needle aspiration biopsy uses a very thin needle with a syringe to remove fluid or clusters of cells from the body. The needle is inserted into the mass to collect tissue samples that are then sent to a lab where it is examined under a microscope to determine if it is malignant (cancerous) or benign (noncancerous).
This type of biopsy is typically used when a mass or enlargement can be felt through the skin, such as with a mass in the breast or due to an enlarged thyroid gland.
A fine needle aspiration biopsy is less invasive than a core needle biopsy.
The needle used in a core needle biopsy has a larger cutting tip than the needle used with an FNA biopsy, which is used to remove one or more cylindrical columns of tissue (called cores) from the suspect mass.
A core needle biopsy can usually reveal more than an FNA biopsy, simply because it removes a larger sample of tissue. It is often used when a mass is found early, and it is not clear if it is cancerous or benign.
A sample of bone marrow – the soft, spongy tissue at the center of most bones – may be used to diagnose blood problems, such as leukemia, as well as cancer that has traveled to the bone marrow from elsewhere in the body.
This type of biopsy most often involves the use of a long needle, inserted into the hipbone at your back. A local anesthetic is applied prior to the biopsy to reduce any discomfort during the biopsy.
Catheter Biopsy of the Liver
A liver biopsy is most often done with a needle. However, in some cases, your doctor may recommend it be performed via a catheter inserted at the large jugular vein in the neck. During this type of biopsy – called a transjugular liver biopsy – our doctors thread the catheter from the jugular vein to the large hepatic vein in your liver. A special biopsy needle is delivered to the site, through the catheter, so that one or more tissue samples can be collected. The catheter is then removed, and the tiny incision where it was inserted is bandaged.
A patient is typically sedated for this type of biopsy – whereas patients typically remain awake for needle biopsies.
Image-Guided Biopsy in South Florida
Interventional radiologists have a wide range of experience and training when it comes to performing image-guided biopsies. This allows them to tailor the type of biopsy that is performed to each individual patient's needs.
Schedule your appointment for an image-guided biopsy at Florida Endovascular and Interventional by calling (786) 534-2555 or request your appointment now. We have four convenient South Florida locations to serve your needs.
