Tongue biopsy

A tongue biopsy can be done using a needle. You will get numbing medicine at the place where the biopsy is to be done. The health care provider will gently insert the needle into the tongue and remove a tiny piece of tissue. Some types of tongue biopsies remove a thin slice of tissue. Medicine to numb the area (local…

You may be told not to eat or drink anything for several hours before the test.

Your tongue is very sensitive so a needle biopsy may be uncomfortable even when numbing medicine is used. Your tongue can be tender or sore, and it may feel slightly swollen after the biopsy. You may have stitches or an open sore where the biopsy was done.

The test is done to find the cause of abnormal growths or suspicious-looking areas of the tongue.

The tongue tissue is normal when examined.

Abnormal results may mean: Amyloidosis Tongue (oral) cancer Viral ulcer Benign tumors

Risks for this procedure include: Bleeding Infection Swelling of the tongue (can obstruct the airway and cause breathing difficulty ) Complications from this procedure are rare.

Azzoli CG, Birnbaum AE, Constantinou M, Ollila TA. Other solid tumors (head and neck, sarcomas, melanoma, unknown primary). In: Wing EJ, Schiffman FJ, eds. Cecil Essentials of Medicine . 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 62. Ellis E, Huber MA. Principles of differential diagnosis and biopsy. In: Hupp JR,…