Biopsy has been one of the most important diagnostic tools. It means retrieving a sample from a living tissue for further examination. Biopsy has been used for diagnosing several diseases, such as breast cancer. Yet, the recent advances in other diagnostic tools, such as CT, MRI and ultrasound, resulted in new technique, image-guided biopsy; the technique shows high accuracy with less complication for the patient.
A recent study, conducted in the United States, was reviewing the biopsy trends in Medicare patients. The study revised data from 1997 to 2008 for biopsies carried out at ten anatomical sites. The study showed that the number of biopsies was elevated from 1380 per 100,000 Medicare enrollees in 1997 to reach 1945 biopsies in 2008, which means that the number of procedures has increased nearly by 3% every year. Sharon W. Kwan, M.D., radiology resident at the University of California in San Francisco, the lead author of the study, said "We also found that the use of imaging guidance increased over this time period, most likely because the technique enables more efficient and safe targeting of lesions,"
It was noticed that the increase in the rate of image-guided biopsies was accompanied, on the other hand, with decreased use of more invasive biopsy techniques. Moreover, the study showed that the number of biopsies, carried out by radiologists, was elevated to reach 56% instead of 35% during the time of study. The data also showed that an increasing number of biopsies were performed by physicians instead of radiologists, which started to appear in later years of the study period. Dr. Kwan commented "There is no reason to think that one physician specialty, as a whole, is better than another at performing biopsies," She continued "However, in the case of imaging-guided biopsies, radiologists, who are specifically trained in the use and interpretation of imaging, should be the most qualified to perform these procedures."