A biopsy is a diagnostic procedure used by physicians to obtain a sample of body tissue for laboratory examination. Unhealthy or suspicious looking tissue is biopsied to diagnose disease. Usually, it is done to distinguish between a benign and malignant tumor. Healthy tissue is biopsied in order to test for matches between tissue types, for transplants.

Any part of the body can be biopsied. Depending on whether the part of the body is easily accessible or deep within, there are several different ways to do the biopsy. After the biopsy specimen is obtained by the doctor, it is sent to a laboratory where it is examined microscopically by a pathologist. A pathologist is a physician who is specialized in rendering medical diagnoses by examining fluids and tissues removed from the body. The pathologist prepares a written report, which enables the primary physician to diagnose the patient's condition.

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