📖 Overview
A percutaneous image-guided biopsy allows tissue sampling from a lesion — liver, kidney, lung, bone, lymph node, or soft tissue — without open surgery. Under real-time CT or ultrasound guidance, a fine needle or core biopsy needle is advanced precisely to the target lesion to obtain tissue for histological analysis.
At Cochin AP-HP, biopsies are performed by senior interventional radiologists using state-of-the-art guidance including our guidage scanner per-procédure (haute résolution scanner haute résolution) for complex or deep lesions. Procedures are performed under local anaesthesia, in the day procedure unit, with same-day discharge.
⚡ Percutaneous biopsy at a glance — At a glance
A percutaneous biopsy removes a small tissue sample through a fine needle under imaging guidance, for a precise diagnosis without surgery.
| Criterion | Data |
|---|---|
| Anaesthesia | Local — generally well tolerated |
| Complications | Rare (bleeding, infection) |
| Turnaround for results | Several days for pathology analysis |
| Cost | Covered by French national health insurance at Cochin AP-HP — no out-of-pocket fees |
Data validated by the team of Prof. Anthony Dohan, Department of Interventional Radiology, Cochin Hospital AP-HP, Université Paris Cité.
🎯 Indications
- Liver lesion — characterisation of hepatocellular carcinoma, cholangiocarcinoma, metastases, or benign lesions
- Renal mass — pre-ablation biopsy or characterisation of indeterminate renal masses
- Lung nodule or mass — suspected primary lung cancer or metastasis
- Bone lesion — primary bone tumour, metastasis, or benign lesion including osteoid osteoma
- Lymph node — suspected lymphoma, metastasis, or granulomatous disease
- Soft tissue mass — characterisation of retroperitoneal or pelvic masses
- Re-biopsy for molecular profiling or immunotherapy eligibility
🔧 Procedure
Review of cross-sectional imaging (CT, MRI, PET-CT). Identification of optimal access route. Blood tests: INR, platelet count, creatinine.
Local anaesthesia at skin entry point. IV cannula. Monitoring throughout.
CT or ultrasound guidance in real time. Needle advanced to target lesion. Position confirmed before sampling.
1–3 core biopsy passes. Adequacy checked immediately if cytopathologist available on site. Procedure time: 30–60 minutes.
2–4 hours monitoring depending on organ biopsied. Same-day discharge in most cases. Results available within 5–10 working days.
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✓ Why this page is trustworthy
Written by the Interventional Radiology team at Cochin Hospital AP-HP, Université Paris Cité. Medically reviewed by an interventional radiologist of the department. Last updated: August 2026.