2. “The best surgeon is a
clinical pathologist who
performs operations”
2
3. 3
Al-Zahrawi, an Arab physician, surgeon and
pharmacist - perform a needle biopsy (of the thyroid).
He used hollow needles to investigate abnormal
growths of the thyroid gland.
Around the year 1000 AD, he wrote his famous book
'Al Tasreef Liman 'Ajaz 'Aan Al-Taleef (or 'al-Tasreef')
(''An Aid for Those Who Lack the Capacity to Read Big
Books').
History
4. 4
In the early 16th century, Sir Marcello Malphigi
termed it as,
Bios- LIFE, Opsis- A sight
In the modern era, a Russian, M.M. Rudnev –
used diagnostic biopsy in 1875.
5. 5
Expert committee of WHO (1996) – “
Biopsy is examination of tissue removed
from a lesion & by extension the term is also
used to convey the removal of the lesion”
The term 'biopsy' was introduced into medical
terminology in 1879 by Ernest Besnier.
6. 6
• 100 years of biopsy can be easily divided into 3 major
steps:
1. An occasional use of procedure - until the late 19th
century - involving living organs and tissues for
observation and study.
7. 7
2. Restricted application of biopsy- until the
mid-20th century.
3. Present stage - widely adopted, not only in
oncology but practically in all clinical specialties.
8. Histological characteristics
Differentiation
Extent or spread
Evoluative control of disease process
Healing or relapse
Irrefutable legal medical value.
8
The Technique Allows Us To Establish
9. Indications
Primarily – To confirm the clinical
impression of the lesion.
Any persistent lesions >10-14days
With no apparent etiologic basis.
That does not respond to Rx even after
removal of cause / irritant.
9
10. 10
Persistent swelling
Bone lesions - Not specifically identified by
clinical & radiographic findings.
Lesions presenting the characteristics of
malignancy
11. Conditions that are potentially precancerous
Persistent hyperkeratotic change. e.g.:
leukoplakia.
Inflammatory changes of unknown causes.
11
14. Contraindications
Compromised general health, h/o bleeding
diathesis.
Lesion close to vital anatomic, vascular or ductal
structures.
Intrabony lesions should not be biopsied or
removed prior to investigational aspiration.
14
15. 15
Normal anatomic & racial variation – e.g.
Physiologic pigmentation, linea alba,
Fordyce's granules.
Acute / sub acute inflammatory condition –
bacterial, viral infection.
17. Selection Of Specimen
Area representative of whole lesion.
Adequate amount of tissue must be present.
17
18. 18
In large lesions – Specimen is removed
from most easily accessible & representative
area.
Deep sections of lesion along with normal
tissue are needed.
If several lesions - specimen taken from
most representative area.
19. Intra osseous lesions – Cortical plate of
bone should be removed & curetted material
must be evaluated.
Skin / mucosal biopsy – Epithelium +
Connective tissue.
19
20. 20
Ulcer – Normal area + Deep part of ulcer
Multiple ulcers – More than one biopsy & at
the site of maximum clinical activity.
35. 35
Oral cavity – Commonest lesion for incisional
biopsy – white hyperkeratotic lesions.
Bleeding, ulcerated or indurated area must be
taken.
36. EXCISIONAL BIOPSY
Removal of lesion in -
Toto – with adequate
margins
Accomplishes the goal of
the biopsy (entire lesion
is available for H/P
examination)as well as
Rx
36
38. PUNCH BIOPSY
Convenient method for oral
mucosal lesions
Biopsy punch Make
circular incisions (3-4mm in
diameter)
Surgically inaccessible
regions e.g. palatal biopsy of
minor salivary glands, lips.
38
41. Principle
Punch – circular / twisting motion a
circular incision on lesion.
Remove the punch.
Grasp the margin – separate the base with
scissors or scalpel.
41
43. 43
Quick & effective
Produces a clean & sharp incision
Little bleeding
Minimal pain
Advantages
Disadvantages
Tissue distorted
Can’t be used in soft palate, floor of mouth
44. CURETTAGE
Curette – Spoon like tip
Designed for scraping
out cavities for tissue
(diagnostic/therapeutic
purposes)
eg: maxillary antrum,
cystic lesions within the
jaws
44
45. 45
Used primarily for intraosseous lesions
(cystic/fibro-osseous), soft friable soft
tissues (granulation tissue)
Easy to perform
46. 46
Modified Ellis drill, fits into straight
hand piece.
For central fibro -osseous lesions,
osteolytic lesions of bone, lymph
node masses.
Needle is introduced through small
skin incision & rotated at slow
speed until tumor is reached.
Drill biopsy
47. Entered into tumor mass.
Gentle negative pressure is applied to needle
by means of small syringe on withdrawal.
Contained core expelled into fixative.
47
49. Shave biopsy
Easiest biopsy to take when lesion is raised above
surface.
Using scalpel blade or special disposable blade.
Sawing / shaving action is used.
49
52. Electro surgery/ Laser biopsy
• Specimen is taken using electrode.
• Minimum discomfort & bleeding. (cauterization)
52
53. Electro-surgery refers to the cutting and coagulation of
tissue using very high-frequency, low-voltage electrical
currents.
Useful in producing a bloodless operative field.
Thermal coagulation is used.
53
54. Electro-surgical
technique
The lesion is grasped
with forceps through
the loop electrode.
The electrode is
activated going
under the lesion,
removing the growth.
54
55. • Currently not advised for
oral biopsies
Disadvantages:
• In electro surgery – Thermal
damage may result in charred
appearance of tissue.
• Laser – less extensive thermal
damage.
55
56. Aspiration biopsy
(FNAC / FNAB)
• To obtain material from body cavity, cystic
space or fluid containing lesion.
• Introduced by Martin, Ellis & Stewart in 1950.
• Obtained material can be smeared on a slide,
fixed & stained.
56
63. The proper lesion may get missed easily.
Tissue relationships not known (as only few cells
are studied)
Most of the times needs a confirmatory biopsy
Disadvantages 63
64. Stab incision
To distinguish between reactive
changes / recurrent malignancies/
cervical metastases.
Symptom less H&N swellings
Disadvantages
•Tumor dissemination / seeding
Core biopsy / True – cut biopsy
64
66. Study of superficial cells which have been either
exfoliated or shed from mucous membrane.
Cells are collected by scraping or pulling off from
tissue surface.
Can also be done with sputum or saliva.
66
Exfoliative cytology
67. Indications:
For suspected malignant and premalignant oral
lesions.
Recurrent oral cancers after treatment.
Mass screening of oral cancer.
67
69. 69
The lesion is repeatedly scraped with a moistened
tongue depressor or spatula or cytobrush type
instrument.
The cells obtained are smeared on a glass slide and
immediately fixed with a fixative spray or solution.
Technique
72. 72
Special instrument called biopsy brush
Trans-epithelial biopsy obtained
Indications
For precancerous / cancerous oral
mucosal lesions
Advantages
Easy to perform; requires less time
Well tolerated by the patient
Oral brush biopsy
78. Specific tissue considerations
Oral biopsies: methods and applications
R. J. Oliver, P. Sloan and M. N. Pemberton BRITISH DENTAL JOURNAL
VOLUME 196 NO. 6 MARCH 27 2004
78
79. For red & white lesions include both red & white
area
79
84. Do not cut into pigmented and vascular lesions
84
85. 85
Oral biopsies: methods and applications
R. J. Oliver, P. Sloan and M. N. Pemberton BRITISH DENTAL JOURNAL
VOLUME 196 NO. 6 MARCH 27 2004
86. 86
Clinical diagnosis Type of biopsy Suitable for general dental
practice
Chronic ulcer or
squamous cell
carcinoma
Incisional biopsy of
margin of ulcer
No, urgent referral
to hospital
Leukoplakia/
erythroplakia
Incisional or punch
biopsy of worst area
consider multiple
biopsies if extensive
lesion
No, referral to
hospital
Mucosal lichen
planus
Incisional biopsy of
the area
Only very
experienced
practitioners
Bullous lesions
(pemphigus
pemphigoid etc.)
Incisional or punch
biopsy of unaffected
mucosa close to bulla
No, referral to
hospital
87. 87
Clinical diagnosis Type of biopsy Suitable for general
dental practice
Granulomatous diseases
(Crohn’s,
Orofacial granulomatosis,
ulcerative colitis, TB)
Deep incisional biopsy
plus fresh sample to
microbiology if
infective agent
suspected
No, referral to
hospital
Mucocele Careful excision biopsy Yes, with care
Fibroepithelial polyp,
pyogenic granuloma, epulis
Excision biopsy Yes
Minor salivary gland
tumour
Palate: deep incisional
biopsy
Upper lip: excisional
biopsy
No, urgent referral
to
hospital
Medium through which the doctor in clinical practice gets an opportunity to learn & relearn the important basic scientific facts is the “Biopsy”.
Since the nineteenth century, medical researchers and practitioners have developed many different kinds of instruments to perform biopsies on different body parts.
Modern instruments such as intestinal biopsy tubes can extract samples from parts of the body which are not easily accessible.
When there is a lesion which is persistent from more than 10-14 days with etiology and does not respond to medicines
Tumescence = swelling due to vascular congestion
Alleviate – making less severe
Prognosis – forecast of the outcome of a medical situation
bleeding diathesis. -unusual susceptibility to bleed
From a pathologist’s point of view– whole lesion is most desirable specimen.
Formalin – disinfectant, germicide and antiseptic in nature
Prevents decay by bacterial growth
Pigmented lesions (melanoma) may be removed with generous margin of normal surrounding tissue.
sinus, fistulae with in soft tissue.
Specimen is forcibly ejected over albumin coated slide & then spread.