BACK TOTOP Browse A-ZSearchBrowse A-ZABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0-9 E-mail FormEmail ResultsName:Email address:Recipients Name:Recipients address:Message: Print-FriendlyBookmarksbookmarks-menuTongue biopsyBiopsy - tongueA tongue biopsy is a minor surgery that is done to remove a small piece of the tongue. The tissue is then examined under a microscope. How the Test is Performed 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 anesthetic) will be used. Others are done under general anesthesia, (allowing you to be asleep and pain-free) so that a larger area may be removed and examined. How to Prepare for the Test You may be told not to eat or drink anything for several hours before the test. How the Test will Feel 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. Why the Test is Performed The test is done to find the cause of abnormal growths or suspicious-looking areas of the tongue. Normal Results The tongue tissue is normal when examined. What Abnormal Results Mean Abnormal results may mean:Amyloidosis Tongue (oral) cancer Tongue (oral) cancerOral cancer is cancer that starts in the mouth.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Viral ulcer Benign tumors Risks Risks for this procedure include:Bleeding Infection Swelling of the tongue (can obstruct the airway and cause breathing difficulty) SwellingSwelling is the enlargement of organs, skin, or other body parts. It is caused by a buildup of fluid in the tissues. The extra fluid can lead to a ...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Breathing difficultyBreathing difficulty may involve:Difficult breathing Uncomfortable breathingFeeling like you are not getting enough airImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Complications from this procedure are rare.Open ReferencesReferencesAzzoli 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, Ellis E, Tucker MR, eds. Contemporary Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2019:chap 22.Wenig BM. Neoplasms of the pharynx. In: Wenig BM, ed. Atlas of Head and Neck Pathology. 3rd ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2016 chap 10.AllVideoImagesTogThroat anatomy - illustration Structures of the throat include the esophagus, trachea, epiglottis and tonsils.Throat anatomyillustrationTongue biopsy - illustration A surgeon will remove a section of the unusual area of skin on the tongue to analyze.Tongue biopsyillustrationThroat anatomy - illustration Structures of the throat include the esophagus, trachea, epiglottis and tonsils.Throat anatomyillustrationTongue biopsy - illustration A surgeon will remove a section of the unusual area of skin on the tongue to analyze.Tongue biopsyillustration Tests for Tongue biopsy Tongue biopsyRelated Information Primary amyloidosis(Condition)Oral cancer(Condition) Review Date: 3/1/2023 Reviewed By: Josef Shargorodsky, MD, MPH, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team. The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. No warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, is made as to the accuracy, reliability, timeliness, or correctness of any translations made by a third-party service of the information provided herein into any other language. © 1997- A.D.A.M., a business unit of Ebix, Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. © 1997- All rights reserved. A.D.A.M. content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.Content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.
Tongue biopsyBiopsy - tongueA tongue biopsy is a minor surgery that is done to remove a small piece of the tongue. The tissue is then examined under a microscope. How the Test is Performed 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 anesthetic) will be used. Others are done under general anesthesia, (allowing you to be asleep and pain-free) so that a larger area may be removed and examined. How to Prepare for the Test You may be told not to eat or drink anything for several hours before the test. How the Test will Feel 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. Why the Test is Performed The test is done to find the cause of abnormal growths or suspicious-looking areas of the tongue. Normal Results The tongue tissue is normal when examined. What Abnormal Results Mean Abnormal results may mean:Amyloidosis Tongue (oral) cancer Tongue (oral) cancerOral cancer is cancer that starts in the mouth.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Viral ulcer Benign tumors Risks Risks for this procedure include:Bleeding Infection Swelling of the tongue (can obstruct the airway and cause breathing difficulty) SwellingSwelling is the enlargement of organs, skin, or other body parts. It is caused by a buildup of fluid in the tissues. The extra fluid can lead to a ...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Breathing difficultyBreathing difficulty may involve:Difficult breathing Uncomfortable breathingFeeling like you are not getting enough airImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Complications from this procedure are rare.Open ReferencesReferencesAzzoli 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, Ellis E, Tucker MR, eds. Contemporary Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2019:chap 22.Wenig BM. Neoplasms of the pharynx. In: Wenig BM, ed. Atlas of Head and Neck Pathology. 3rd ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2016 chap 10.