(by-op-see)
This is when a small sample of tissue is taken from a part of the body, then looked at under a microscope so that a diagnosis can be made.
Exactly how the biopsy is taken will depend on where in your body it is. Some people will be given a general anaesthetic and so will be asleep when it is done, while other people will only need a local anaesthetic, which numbs the area. There’s more information about having an anaesthetic in the surgery section.
