Uncovering the Secrets Inside Cells Through Biopsy

With the number of discovered diseases, it could be difficult to rule out which disease you have especially when some of these diseases have similar symptoms. One way of identifying which one you could be suffering from is by looking closely at your tissues or cells and observing how they behave. It's not a matter, however, of mere physical examination where a doctor would take a closer look at you.

You can't lie down on a bed and have a microscope zoom in on your finger or your back. For physicians to be able to analyze your body properly, they might have to take a piece of your flesh through a method called biopsy and then use a microscope to slowly comprehend the secrets your cells are hiding.

The first diagnostic biopsy was performed in 1875 by Russian physician M. M. Rudnev, but the term “biopsy” was coined in 1897 by Ernest Besnier.

As more technological innovations are developed, more biopsy methods are also tried and tested. From cutting off a minute piece of flesh, doctors are able to use thin needles or syringes to collect a small amount of flesh. Usually the needle is guided with ultrasound so that no sensitive or easily damaged areas are affected.

Biopsies could be painful and daunting, but the procedure helps pathologists analyze cells and tissues more effectively. Through biopsies, doctors are able to make informed decisions regarding treatment and maintenance of the patient's condition.