Kidney cancer can be difficult to diagnose. A biopsy may be needed. Kidney biopsy is usually taken by passing a needle from the outside of the patient into the kidney. The needle is passed from the patient’s back or side through the skin. Recently, endoscopic ultrasound has been used to take kidney biopsies. An endoscope, which is a lighted flexible tube is passed into the patient’s stomach. The endoscope has an ultrasound attached to the end. Because the kidney is just behind the stomach, it is close enough for a needle to be passed through the endoscope channel through the stomach wall and into the kidney. While this is not intended to be used for all patients, it is an option when the kidney mass cannot be reached from the outside.

Todd H. Baron, MD
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

Publication

Endoscopic ultrasonography-guided fine needle aspiration of kidney masses.
Law R, Wobker S, Grimm IS, Baron TH.
Gastroenterology. 2015 Jun

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