What Is a Stomach Biopsy?
A stomach biopsy, also known as a gastric tissue biopsy, refers to a procedure in which a sample of stomach tissue is removed, usually from the inner lining of the stomach. Once safely removed, the sample is sent to a laboratory where it is tested. The testing process is called a microbial culture and involves placing the tissue sample in a culture medium that promotes microbial growth. In this controlled laboratory setting, any microorganisms that are present can be observed and evaluated as the source of the gastrointestinal problem in question.
Reasons to Perform a Stomach Biopsy
Most people don't even think about their digestive health until they start to experience symptoms that become challenging or reduce their quality of life. Indeed, almost everyone has experienced a mild gastrointestinal symptom like diarrhea or nausea or constipation at various points throughout life. Most of the time, symptoms like these pop up and then go away on their own with no treatment at all or with home remedies or over-the-counter medication.
Sometimes, though, the symptoms become more severe and really start to make you uncomfortable or worried about your health. You might even notice a chronic problem develop over time. In these cases it's wise to seek out advice from a gastroenterologist. If the symptoms warrant it, the doctor may end up ordering a stomach biopsy. The following are some symptoms that might be present and need a biopsy to investigate further:
abdominal pain or discomfort
unexplained weight loss
changes to bowel habits
black or tarry stools
reduced appetite
nausea and vomiting
bloating or swelling
How Is a Gastric Tissue Biopsy Performed?
It's important to note that a gastric tissue biopsy isn't usually the first step in the process of diagnosing a patient. In most cases a physical exam and a review of the relevant symptoms can help the doctor make preliminary determinations about the condition. Even before a biopsy, however, a gastroenterologist will often look to imaging tests like an upper endoscopy (technically known as an esophagogastroduodenoscopy or EGD) or an endoscopic ultrasound to get more information. If the problem seems to be lower in the digestive tract, a colonoscopy is also possible.
In fact, it's often only after an upper GI endoscopy has been ordered and is in progress that a doctor will discover that a biopsy might be necessary. The endoscope is a long, flexible tube with a camera mounted on the end, and it is inserted through the mouth and gently pushed down the esophagus. Along the way, the doctor can see live images of the digestive tract and look for abnormalities that might indicate a problem. The endoscope can reach all the way through the stomach into the first part of the small intestine.
If, while viewing the inside of the stomach, a growth or lesion or anything out of the ordinary is spotted, the doctor can choose to take a tissue sample. In addition to the camera and light, the endoscope has a small instrument on the end that can actually cut and remove small pieces of tissue. Once the tissue is extracted, it is stored in a petri dish and is sent to the lab for testing. An upper GI endoscopy can be used in this way to detect pathogens, foreign objects, or even growths that may be cancerous.
What Can a Stomach Biopsy Reveal?
By the time a doctor has examined you and ordered an endoscopy and possible stomach biopsy, that means there have already been symptoms of some digestive disease that needs treatment. A core reason for doing the biopsy, in fact, is to gather more data to clarify what the problem might be. Below are some of the possible conditions that a gastric tissue biopsy might reveal:
Ulcers: A stomach ulcer (or peptic ulcer) is one of the most common reasons to do a biopsy. An ulcer is essentially a break or opening in the lining of the stomach that is most often due to an infection by the Helicobacter pylori bacteria. Once the bacteria is present in sufficient strength, it grows and begins to damage the stomach lining.
Infection: Apart from H. pylori, there are other bacterial, viral, and fungal infections that can thrive in the stomach and cause symptoms; examples include Salmonella, E. coli, or parasites like Giardia.
Gastritis: Gastritis is the term for any inflammation of the stomach lining. There may or may not be symptoms, but gastritis can also lead to other gastrointestinal complications.
Stomach cancer: A gastric tissue biopsy is a standard procedure any time cancerous cells are suspected in the gastrointestinal tract. During an upper endoscopy, doctors look for polyps or tumors or other abnormal growths. If the growth is small enough, it might be completely removed on the spot; otherwise a small sample is taken to verify that the cells are cancerous.
Esophagitis: While not specifically located in the stomach, an inflammation of the esophagus known as esophagitis can be related to other problems in the stomach.
