Some heart conditions cannot be detected with imaging procedures. If your doctor suspects you have cardiomyopathy, heart cancer, an infection or rejection of a heart transplant, you may have a cardiac biopsy. At Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health, our deep experience in heart testing helps us perform safe and accurate heart biopsies that inform our treatment plans.
What Is Cardiac Biopsy?
Cardiac biopsy (also called myocardial biopsy or endomyocardial biopsy) is a minimally invasive procedure used to detect some heart problems. Cardiologists remove a small piece of tissue from your heart muscle to look for changes in the cells. These changes can indicate conditions such as inflammation (myocarditis) or infiltrative diseases like cardiac amyloidosis.
Who Might Need a Heart Biopsy?
You typically need multiple biopsies in the months after heart transplant.
Doctors also use cardiac biopsies to diagnose conditions such as:
Cardiac Biopsy: The Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health Advantage
If you need a cardiac biopsy, it’s important to choose a skilled cardiac team. As a top-ranked hospital in the U.S., we provide excellent heart biopsy care for accurate diagnosis and effective treatment. We also offer:
- Recognized expertise: Our doctors are board-certified, fellowship-trained leaders in cardiovascular surgery and minimally invasive heart procedures. Many also have clinical appointments with the University of Pennsylvania's Perelman School of Medicine. Our nurses and imaging experts are also specially trained in the field. Together, our care teams deliver the latest advances and high-quality care.
- Advanced diagnostics: Our Heart Failure Clinic has access to every possible heart imaging and testing tool, including CT scan and MRI. These sophisticated tools provide high-quality images that help us determine whether you need a cardiac biopsy.
What Can I Expect During a Cardiac Biopsy?
In most cases, cardiologists perform heart biopsies using cardiac catheterization, a minimally invasive technique that often leads to fewer incisions and a faster recovery. Cardiac biopsy is usually an outpatient procedure that takes about an hour. You receive local anesthesia and a sedative to keep you comfortable.
During the procedure, your cardiologist:
- Accesses the vein in your neck or groin.
- Inserts a thin, hollow tube (catheter) into a blood vessel, using imaging to guide it to your heart.
- Threads a tweezer-type device called a bioptome through the catheter.
- Uses the bioptome to snip off and remove tiny pieces of tissue from your heart muscle.
- Removes the bioptome and catheter.
- Sends tissue samples to a laboratory for analysis.
Your doctor may recommend that you avoid strenuous activities or lifting anything heavy for 24 hours after heart biopsy. In most cases, you can return to work and normal activities the next day.
You typically receive results from cardiac biopsy within a few days. We discuss the results with you and help determine next steps.
Contact Us
To learn more about our heart and vascular care, call 717-544-8300.