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Endometrial biopsy
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An endometrial biopsy is a simple procedure done in the office to take a sample of the endometrium, which is the lining of the uterine cavity. That sample is then examined under a microscope, meaning its histology, the appearance of the tissue, is evaluated.
It is done with a thin suction catheter called a pipelle. It works like a straw that sucks up a thin layer of the wall: once it is inside the uterine cavity, the plunger is pulled back, suction builds at the tip, and an in-and-out motion collects the tissue.
It is often ordered when there is abnormal uterine bleeding. It has high sensitivity, meaning it rarely misses what it is looking for, and high specificity, meaning it rarely flags something incorrectly, for detecting endometrial hyperplasia, an overgrowth of the endometrium, and endometrial cancer.
In brief
An endometrial biopsy is a simple office procedure that takes a sample of the endometrium, the lining of the uterus, to examine under a microscope.
A suction catheter called a pipelle is passed into the uterus; pulling back the plunger creates suction at the tip, and an in-and-out motion collects the sample.
It is a straw that suctions up a thin layer of the wall.
It is often used to evaluate abnormal uterine bleeding and has high sensitivity and specificity for detecting endometrial hyperplasia and endometrial cancer.
Sources (1)
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, StatPearls PublishingEndometrial Biopsy, StatPearlsPublished
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