Aspiration biopsy: procedure description

Suspicion of any pathology makes a person experience. Especially it concerns oncological processes. Cancer is a terrible diagnosis both for the person himself and for all his loved ones. Nevertheless, at present there are many ways to deal with it. The effectiveness of treatment of oncological pathologies is high at the initial stages of the disease. Therefore, in order to detect cancer more quickly, it is necessary to be examined at the first signs of the disease. One of the diagnostic methods is aspiration biopsy. It is performed quickly and almost painlessly. In some cases, this study acts as a therapeutic procedure.

What is the purpose of the aspiration biopsy?

In order to confirm or refute the presence of malignant process, it is required to study the composition of cells of pathological formation. It is carried out using 2 diagnostic procedures. These include histological and cytological research. The first is to perform a cut from the damaged organ, staining it and microscopy. This method is the standard for diagnosing cancer tumors. Cytological examination consists in performing a smear from the surface of the biopsy. Further, microscopy of the glass preparation is carried out. To obtain material for the study, an open biopsy is performed. This is a surgical operation involving partial or complete removal of the organ. As another method of sampling cells is considered aspiration puncture biopsy. With the help of it, you can conduct a histological and cytological analysis. To this end, the biological material is obtained by puncturing the body and splitting off small pieces of the affected area.

Advantages of the aspiration method include:

1. Absence of incisions on the skin.
2. Painless procedure.
3. Ability to perform on an outpatient basis.
4. Fast execution.
5. Reducing the risk of complications that may occur due to the procedure (inflammation, bleeding).

Aspiration biopsy can be performed with the help of special instruments or an ordinary thin needle used for injections. It depends on the depth and localization of the tumor.

Indications for biopsy

Aspiration biopsy is performed with suspicion of tumors of various organs. Among them - thyroid and mammary glands, uterus, lymph nodes, prostate, bones, soft tissues. This method of diagnosis is performed in cases where there is access to the neoplasm. The indications for the study include the following conditions:

1. Suspected of a malignant tumor.
2. Inability to determine the nature of the inflammatory process by other methods.

In most cases, it is impossible to establish from which cells the neoplasm consists, without cytological and histological examination. Even if the doctor is confident of the presence of a malignant tumor, the diagnosis must be confirmed. This is necessary to establish the degree of differentiation of cells and the conduct of therapeutic measures. In addition to cancerous tumors, there are benign neoplasms that must be removed. Before proceeding to surgery, it is necessary to confirm that there is no oncological process. For this purpose, an aspiration biopsy is also performed.

Sometimes the treatment of inflammatory processes is ineffective, despite the adequacy of the therapy. In such cases, histological examination of the tissue is required to exclude specific pathologies. Thus, tubercular, syphilitic or other inflammation can be detected.

Preparation for the study

Depending on the location of the pathological site preparation for the study may differ. In all cases, diagnostic procedures are required before aspiration biopsy. These include: blood and urine analysis, determination of biochemical parameters, coagulogram, tests for hepatitis and HIV infection. If there is a suspicion of a tumor of external localizations, certain training is not required. This concerns tumors of the thyroid and mammary gland, skin, lymph nodes. In these cases, fine needle aspiration biopsy is performed. This method is completely painless and resembles an ordinary shot. If the tumor is deep, trepanobiopsy is required. It is carried out with a special tool and a thick needle. In this case, local anesthesia is required.

Preparation for aspiration biopsy of the endometrium is somewhat different. In addition to these tests, you need to get a smear from the vagina and cervix before performing it. If the patient is a woman of childbearing age, a biopsy is performed on the 25th or 26th day of the menstrual cycle. In the post-menopausal period, the study can be carried out at any time.

Performing a biopsy of the thyroid gland

Aspiration biopsy of the thyroid gland is performed using a thin needle. It is required in the presence of nodal formations in the tissue of the organ. Before the examination the doctor performs palpation of the thyroid gland. For this, the patient is asked to do a swallowing movement. At this point, the doctor determines the exact location of the node. This place is treated with alcohol solution for decontamination. Then the doctor introduces a thin needle into the neck area. With the other hand, he fixes the node to get the cells from the pathological focus. The doctor pulls the plunger of the empty syringe onto itself to extract biological material. Pathological tissue penetrates the lumen of the needle, after which it is placed on a slide. The resulting material is sent for cytology. A cotton swab dipped in alcohol solution is applied to the puncture site and fixed with adhesive plaster.

A fine needle aspiration biopsy of the thyroid gland helps to determine whether there are malignant cells in the nodal formation. In their absence, conservative treatment of goiter is possible. If the doctor diagnoses thyroid cancer, removal of the organ and chemotherapy is required.

Technique for aspiration biopsy of the endometrium

Indications for a biopsy of the uterus are: suspected cancer, hyperplastic processes (endometriosis, polyps), monitoring hormone therapy. The study is performed in a procedural room or a small operating room under ultrasound control. First of all, palpation of the pelvic organs is performed. Then the cervix is fixed with the help of gynecological mirrors. A special conductor is inserted into the cervical canal - a catheter. Through it, the contents of the endometrium are aspirated into the syringe. The resulting material is sent to a laboratory to determine the cellular composition of the liquid.

In some cases, aspiration biopsy of the uterus is performed using a special vacuum device. It is necessary for the material to be taken under pressure. With its help, it is possible to obtain several samples of biological material when performing 1 puncture.

Puncture biopsy of lymph nodes and mammary gland

Lymph node biopsy is performed if the doctor suspects a specific inflammation or regional spread of the tumor. The study is carried out using a thin needle. The technique of its implementation is similar to an aspirated biopsy of the thyroid gland. The same technique is used to obtain material from the neoplasms in the chest. In addition, aspiration biopsy of the mammary gland is performed in the presence of large cysts. In this case, this procedure is not only diagnostic, but also therapeutic.

If the material obtained is insufficient or the diagnosis can not be confirmed with its help, trepanobiopsy of the mammary gland is performed. It is performed under the supervision of ultrasound . Thus, it is possible to track the stroke of the needle. In some cases, a vacuum aspiration biopsy is performed.

Contraindications for the study

There are practically no contraindications to conducting fine needle biopsy. Difficulties can arise if the patient is a person with mental illness or a child. In these cases, intravenous anesthesia is required, which can not always be performed. Aspiration vacuum or fine needle biopsy of the endometrium is undesirable to do with inflammatory pathologies of the cervix and vagina. Also, the procedure is not performed during pregnancy.

Interpretation of research results

The result of the histological examination is ready in 7-10 days. Cytological analysis is faster. After microscopy of the smear or histological preparation, the doctor makes a conclusion about the cellular composition of the neoplasm. In the absence of atypia, the tumor is benign. If the cells obtained during the study differ from normal elements, the diagnosis of "cancer" is confirmed. In such cases, the degree of differentiation of the tumor is established. The prognosis and methods of treatment depend on this.

Aspiration biopsy: doctor's reviews

Doctors say that the method of aspiration biopsy is a reliable diagnostic study, safe for the patient's health. With a low information content of the material obtained, the tissue can be repeated. To perform this study, the patient is not required to be hospitalized.