Q.Differentiate Biopsy and Autopsy.

Biopsy and Autopsy

Both biopsy and autopsy involve examining body tissue to find out what is wrong — but one is done on a living patient to guide treatment, and the other is done on a dead body to find out what happened. That single difference, living versus dead, is the heart of the distinction.

Biopsy — testing tissue from a living person

A biopsy is the removal of a small sample of tissue (or cells) from a living body so it can be examined, usually under a microscope. The purpose is diagnosis: to find out whether a lump is cancerous, to identify an infection, or to assess a diseased organ. Because the patient is alive, the sample is taken carefully from a specific site — for example, a piece of a suspicious growth, a bit of liver, or a scraping of tissue. The findings then guide the patient's treatment.

Key points about biopsy:

• Performed on a living individual.
• Only a small sample is taken.
• Purpose is diagnosis and treatment planning.

Autopsy — examining a dead body

An autopsy (also called a post-mortem examination) is the examination of a dead body to determine the cause of death. Unlike a biopsy, it may involve a thorough examination of the internal organs. Autopsies are important in medicine (to understand disease) and in forensic/legal work (to establish whether a death was natural, accidental, or due to foul play).

Key points about autopsy: …