“Lymph node biopsy?”
Why choose to do a removal biopsy on a lymph node, located on the occipital area, before a needle biopsy or MRI, just from feeling it once?
Male | 32 years old
3 Answers
A lymph node is often biopsied so that cell architecture can be examined. This is often not possible with needle aspiration, due to the lack of tissue and inability to examine the capsule of the node.
The whole tissue must be evaluated by Pathology or else you can get sampling bias. One needs tissue for a definitive answer/diagnosis.
Hello,
Well, there are a few things, first an MRI will not give any information about what the lymph node is, and a needle biopsy may not get enough tissue to tell what this node is made of. When I have done these biopsies, it is to ensure that enough tissue is obtained for a certain diagnosis, not an "it could be this or that." From a recovery point of view from what you say here, it should be an easy recovery. But the problem is I have not seen you or felt the node. Your surgeon is the best person to answer this question.
Well, there are a few things, first an MRI will not give any information about what the lymph node is, and a needle biopsy may not get enough tissue to tell what this node is made of. When I have done these biopsies, it is to ensure that enough tissue is obtained for a certain diagnosis, not an "it could be this or that." From a recovery point of view from what you say here, it should be an easy recovery. But the problem is I have not seen you or felt the node. Your surgeon is the best person to answer this question.
