Very few people know about biopsy in Nigeria, and those that do, think it is a treatment regimen for cancer. While it is useful in diagnosing cancer, it is not a treatment type for cancer. It is used to investigate the suspicion a doctor may have concerning a tissue to ascertain its true condition.
Quick Facts About Biopsy
A biopsy is done in Nigeria in many hospitals and diagnostic centers, where various medical machines are used for advanced biopsies and simple needle biopsies are also done. The price for biopsy in these centers varies from place to place and it also depends on the type of biopsy the patients need.
You will find out the places you can do a biopsy in Nigeria, the cost of biopsy in Nigeria, at what point your doctor may tell you to go for biopsy, and how the general biopsy procedure looks like.
What is Biopsy?
A biopsy is a medical procedure where tissues in the body, under investigation for infection, inflammation, or growth, are observed to ascertain the right treatment approach. A biopsy is most commonly used in diagnosing cancer, as it is useful in determining if a tissue growth or lump is malignant (cancerous), or benign (non-cancerous).
A biopsy is done by specialized doctors who give the results of the biopsy to the doctors of patients to help further their diagnosis and proffer the right treatment path. It can be done with a simple needle, especially for lumps under the skin, or with a sophisticated imaging machine that guides the doctors on harvesting the tissues.
In some cases, the patient is put under, with the aid of an anesthetic before the procedure happens. Doctors will inform a patient on what to avoid and do before the procedure, for better results.
Types of Biopsy
There are different types of biopsies, depending on the body part the tissue to be investigated is, and the sophistication needed to harvest the tissues. For instance, the same biopsy procedure used to harvest bone tissue in the sternum cannot be used to harvest subcutaneous tissue; one can be easily reached than the other.
Some of the types of biopsy include:
Breast Biopsy
A breast biopsy is arguably the most common type of biopsy as it involves the removal of breast tissues to ascertain their cancer status. It is usually done using a mammograph, but can also be done by using ultrasound or MRI, as a guide to locate the lump and pick it from the right site.
A breast biopsy involves the removal of lumps from the breast for testing to see if they are cancerous or not.
Abdominal Biopsy
An abdominal biopsy can be done through laparoscopy. It involves the removal of lumps from the abdomen to ascertain if they are benign or malignant. The lump may be under the fat layer of the abdomen, in which case an image guided-biopsy has to be done.
Image guiding can be achieved with the help of a CT or ultrasound
Endometrial Biopsy
An endometrial biopsy is used to diagnose the cause of uterine bleeding, which may include Polycystic ovarian syndrome, PCOS, among others. A portion of the uterine lining, the endometrium, is usually scraped and retrieved, with the aid of a needle-like device and another to provide real-time imaging for guidance.
The harvested tissue is then tested to ascertain if it has cancerous growths or not.
Bone Marrow Biopsy
Bone marrow is one of the most complicated biopsy procedures there is. It involves the harvest of careful insertion of a needle into the bone to harvest the marrow, to test it for blood cancer and leukemia. Sometimes, the bone is harvested alongside the bone marrow, but in most cases, the bone marrow alone will suffice.
Renal Biopsy
Renal biopsy is a biopsy procedure on the kidney. It is used to test for tumor growth to confirm or rule out cancer as affecting a patient. It is also used to test for the suitability of a kidney for transplant. In other words, it is used to test for transplant rejection. Other times, renal biopsy helps to ascertain if the cause of a kidney failure is an inflammation in the organ.
It is usually done with imaging guidance, using a CT scan or ultrasound.
Other types of biopsy include:
- Bone Biopsy
- Testicular Biopsy
- Lung Biopsy
- Nerve Biopsy
- Thyroid Biopsy
When Does a Patient Need Biopsy?
A biopsy is not a common test. It is usually done when a patient has undergone imagining tests and the result is insufficient to rule out or ascertain that a doctor’s suspicion is true or false. Sometimes, it is the last test resort for patients whose conditions are hard to explain.
Since a biopsy involves the harvest of a small portion of tissues, it is invasive, although to different extents. Therefore, doctors prefer to exhaust all other tests before recommending a biopsy.
Patients that often need a biopsy are those with organ issues, such as kidney failure, liver damage, blood cancer, inflammation in different organs, infections that refuse to go away, and so on.
Where can You Do Biopsy in Nigeria
In Nigeria, a biopsy can be done in different hospitals and diagnostic centers, depending on your location. The most equipped diagnostic facilities in Nigeria are located in Lagos and Abuja, while some places like Benin, Port Harcourt, and Calabar have the equipment to carry out the procedure.
In Lagos, you can do a biopsy at Clinix, Bridge Clinic, Reddington Hospital, Eko hospitals, Mecure Diagnostics, Foremost Consultants, among others.
In Abuja, Bridge Clinic is the most common biopsy center. However, you can have the procedure done in Benin if you visit any of Raytouch Diagnostics or Lily Hospital.
How Much Does Biopsy in Nigeria Cost?
Biopsy in Nigeria varies in cost, depending on the type of biopsy, the location you’re doing the procedure, and the stage of growth or deterioration the tissue is in. Usually, the cheapest of the biopsy procedures done in Nigeria ranges from 10,000 Naira to 30,000 Naira, and they are usually breast biopsy, endometrial biopsy, bone marrow biopsy, and testicular biopsy.
However, others can be as expensive as 850,000 Naira, especially if they are image-guided.
Note that biopsy in Nigeria is not as costly as it used to be as more and more medical facilities now have sophisticated imaging machines, such as MRI.
Related Article: Cost of IVF in Nigeria
Conclusion
A biopsy is a medical procedure used to harvest tissues that may be cancerous, inflamed, or infected, for further testing. It can be done with or without image-guiding and can be done in different parts of the body.
Biopsy in Nigeria is not as costly as it used to be as a result of MRI and other imaging machines acquisition. However, the cost of a biopsy in Nigeria varies depending on the type of biopsy a patient requires.