CT Biopsy

What is a CT Biopsy?

This is an x-ray based procedure in which images (pictures) are taken while a radiologist collects tissue samples of a specific area as defined by your physician in conjunction with a radiologist.

How do I prepare for the exam?

No food or liquid should be taken for (6) six hours prior to your procedure. Specific lab work may be required prior to your procedure. Please arrive two hours prior to your procedure and make post procedure travel arrangements.

What will happen during the exam?

In the CT room, you will be lying on the table either on your stomach with your arms raised over your head or on your back with your arms raised over your head. The area to be biopsied will be exposed and a large positioning grid will be placed on your skin. (This will aid the radiologist to mark a spot for the needle to be placed.) Once the area is marked the table will rise up and move in and out of the scanner, several scans will be taken prior to the placement of the needle. After the needle has been placed and the biopsy has started, scans of the area will be taken as the procedure continues, this allows for continued proper placement of the needle and assessment of the surrounding tissue. A specimen will be taken and sent to the lab for testing (results will be sent to your physician). Depending on the area to be biopsied, the procedure can take approximately 1 hour or longer.

What should I expect after this procedure?

After the exam, the technologist will process your images using a computer. The nursing staff will bring you to an exam room for observation.