The vital role of a Cryostat machine in the mechanism of biopsy

Modern science and technology has given way to many advances in the field of medicine and diagnosis. With this advancement of science and technology in the field of medicine and diagnosis, it has become increasingly easy to detect and combat with life threatening diseases to some extent. The cryostat machine can be listed amongst one such component of science and technology, used widely in the field of medicine. Its role is inexplicable.

A biopsy is a medicinal procedure which involves removing of cells and tissues from a particular area of your body, if the attending physician feels that the area is not functioning properly and normally. It helps in determining the stage or extent of a disease. The subjected tissue or group of tissues is kept under a microscope and studied in details. This abnormal tissue being tested under suspicion is known as a lesion, mass or a tumor. Biopsy is done generally to detect an area affected by cancer but it is also used otherwise as well. Biopsy not only helps in knowing the prevalence of a disease but also helps in determining the extent of it so that it can be treated with the best possible therapy.

After the biopsy is over, the tissues are collected as a sample and sent to a pathologist for a detailed study. A pathologist happens to be a person who has specialized in studying cells and tissues as samples under a microscope and by studying the shape, size, functioning of these cells or tissues he or she can determine the underlying disease and its stage. The pathologist discloses the biopsy results only to the concerned physician or doctor who then tells you your condition and advices you on the same. The process of biopsy is a time taking procedure. It often takes from one day to a couple of days to conclude the test and reach the results. For accurate results in biopsy, your doctor might ask you to wait for a week or so.

Sometimes however in cases of emergency, the doctor might ask the pathologist to scrutinize the tissue sample and give back the results immediately. Such emergency biopsies are done by a procedure known as frozen section. Under this process, a section of the tissue sample is cut from the affected area by the physician and then frozen in a machine called cryostat machine by the pathologist. The tissue sample is cut with Microtome and then stained with assorted dyes, so that it can be studied well under the microscope. On completion of the diagnosis, the results are immediately communicated to the physician. Therefore, cryostat machines play a very crucial role in urgent detection of biopsy results.