About Biopsy Specimens

After your tissue sample, or “biopsy specimen,” arrives in the pathology lab, it is:

• Visually inspected
• Weighed and measured
• Assigned a unique number

Preparing Your Specimen for Testing

It is then:

• Preserved in special fluids
• Embedded in special wax called paraffin
• Cut into thin slices and examined under the microscope

We also use other testing techniques when necessary.

Determining the Results

After examining your sample, we:

• Determine whether the tissue is normal or diseased
• Write a pathology report to explain our interpretation and other findings to your doctor

The process usually takes 48 to 72 hours from biopsy to diagnosis, but in some cases, it may take longer.

Get Involved

Learn how you can help us help others by supporting our pathology research.