Biopsy Means Looking at the Living
A biopsy takes tissue from a living body for examination. Its name was built to contrast with the examination of the dead.
A biopsy is the removal of tissue from a living body for examination. The name was coined deliberately against *necropsy*, the examination of the dead: *bios* is life, *opsis* is sight. A French dermatologist proposed it in 1879, and the pairing has kept the two procedures cleanly apart ever since.
- A tissue sample for examination. *A skin biopsy.*
- The procedure itself. *She had a biopsy.*
- To take such a sample. *The lesion was biopsied.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | biopsy | A liver biopsy. |
| Plural | biopsies | Repeat biopsies. |
| Verb | biopsy | Biopsy the node. |
| Compare | autopsy | A full autopsy. |
| Related | histology | Histology results. |
How it is used in a sentence
- The biopsy came back clear.Results.
- A needle biopsy is less invasive.Technique.
- Autopsy means seeing for oneself.Not seeing the self, a common misreading.
Kinds of biopsy
- Needle — a sample drawn through a fine needle
- Punch — a small cylinder of skin removed with a circular blade
- Incisional — part of a lesion removed
- Excisional — the whole lesion removed
- Liquid biopsy — tumour material detected in a blood sample
Coined in French in 1879 from Greek *bios*, life, and *opsis*, sight — built as a counterpart to *necropsy*, the viewing of the dead.
Biopsy or autopsy?
A biopsy examines tissue from a living patient. An autopsy examines a body after death.
Does autopsy mean seeing oneself?
No. It means seeing for oneself, from *autos*, self, and *opsis*, sight — the examiner sees directly rather than relying on report.