Image-guided Biopsies

In case of unclear findings / lesions in the head, neck, face and spine, a tissue sample (so-called biopsy) may be necessary in order to be able to make the correct diagnosis and to initiate the appropriate therapy. In a biopsy, a special biopsy needle or biopsy punch is navigated through the skin into the suspicious lesion using image-guided computed tomography, fluoroscopy or ultrasound, and one or more tissue samples are taken. Usually, a biopsy can be performed under local anesthesia, however depending on the relationship of the lesion to important adjacent anatomical structures, general anesthesia may be necessary to allow precise tissue sampling without complications.