Koeproovi

Koeproovi is the Estonian term for a tissue sample taken from a living or deceased organism for examination by a pathologist. The sample is used to diagnose disease, guide treatment, or assess prognosis. Tissue samples may be obtained from skin, organs, or other tissues during biopsy or surgical procedures and may be analyzed histologically, cytologically, or molecularly.

Biopsy methods include excisional biopsy (removal of the entire lesion), incisional biopsy (sampling part of a lesion), core needle biopsy, and fine-needle aspiration. Other methods include punch biopsy, endoscopic biopsy, and surgical biopsy. Preparation depends on the method and tissue type; local anesthesia is commonly used, and sterile technique is essential.

After collection, the tissue is fixed and processed in a pathology laboratory. Most biopsies are fixed in formalin, embedded in paraffin, sectioned, and stained for histology. Cytology samples may be prepared as smears or other cytological preparations. Additional testing, including immunohistochemistry and molecular analyses, may be performed to refine the diagnosis or guide treatment.

Indications include suspected cancer, infection, inflammatory or autoimmune disease, or characterization of a lesion. Risks are generally low but can include bleeding, infection, pain, or injury to surrounding tissue. Limitations include sampling error and nondiagnostic results if the tissue is not representative of the lesion.

Etymology: “koe” means tissue, and “proovi” means sample or test. In clinical use, koeproovi denotes any tissue specimen collected for diagnostic examination.