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Specimen vs Biopsy - What's the difference?

specimen | biopsy |

As nouns the difference between specimen and biopsy

is that specimen is an individual instance that represents a class; an example while biopsy is the removal and examination of a sample of tissue from a living body for diagnostic purposes.

As a verb biopsy is

to take a sample (a biopsy) for pathological examination.

specimen

English

Noun

(en-noun)
  • An individual instance that represents a class; an example.
  • early specimens of the art of Picasso
  • A sample, especially one used for diagnostic analysis.
  • An eligible man.
  • Examples:

    biopsy

    English

    Noun

    (biopsies)
  • The removal and examination of a sample of tissue from a living body for diagnostic purposes.
  • We will need to perform a biopsy to determine whether the tumour is malignant or benign.

    Verb

  • To take a sample (a biopsy) for pathological examination.
  • They biopsied the lump but it turned out to be non-cancerous.

    See also

    * ("biopsy" on Wikipedia)