From Biopsy to Diagnosis: What Happens to Your Sample

A biopsy can feel like a black box: the sample goes in, and days later, an answer comes back. Here’s what happens in between.

Once tissue is removed, it’s carefully preserved, sliced into extremely thin layers, stained and mounted on slides. A pathologist then examines those slides under a microscope, looking closely at the size, shape, and behavior of the cells to determine whether they’re benign or cancerous, and if needed, exactly what type.

It’s detailed, deliberate work, because the report that comes out the other side often shapes a patient’s entire treatment plan.

See more of what goes into every diagnosis at InterpathLab.com.