Biopsy Prep: What to Do Before Your Appointment

Exact timings come from the office that booked you. The rules below are the general logic behind those instructions.

7 days before — Call and confirm three facts: which biopsy you are having, whether you will get a local anesthetic (numbing injection at the site), moderate/conscious sedation, or general anesthesia (fully asleep), and the exact number of hours you must stop eating and drinking. The general rule is that depth drives prep: a skin biopsy needs no special preparation (MedlinePlus, NIH/NLM), while an internal biopsy such as the stomach means not eating for several hours beforehand (MedlinePlus, NIH/NLM).

5–7 days before — Read out your full medication list to the scheduling nurse. The rule being followed: physicians stop blood thinners for a specific period before a needle or surgical biopsy (RadiologyInfo.org, ACR/RSNA, 2024-04-01). Before a kidney biopsy, tell your provider about bleeding problems or blood thinners such as warfarin (Coumadin), clopidogrel (Plavix), apixaban (Eliquis), dabigatran, dipyridamole, fondaparinux or aspirin (MedlinePlus, NIH/NLM). All dosing and timing are physician-directed.

3 days before — For a prostate biopsy, your provider may tell you to stop blood thinners, NSAIDs such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), herbal supplements and vitamins, while continuing prescription medicines unless told otherwise (MedlinePlus, NIH/NLM). Fill any prescribed antibiotics now; for a prostate biopsy these may be taken the day before, the day of, and the day after (MedlinePlus, NIH/NLM).

48 hours before — Lock in your ride. Someone must drive you home if you receive sedation (RadiologyInfo.org, ACR/RSNA, 2024-04-01). Call your insurer about coverage questions — the clinic cannot settle that for you.

24 hours before — Follow any diet step given: before a prostate biopsy you may be asked to eat only light meals the day before, and to do an enema (rectal cleansing) at home (MedlinePlus, NIH/NLM).

The night before — Write the clock time your fast starts on a note by your bed. Set out loose, comfortable clothing and leave jewelry at home; you may be asked to wear a gown (RadiologyInfo.org, ACR/RSNA, 2024-04-01).

Morning of — Take only the medicines you were cleared to take. Routine medications may be allowed with sips of water (RadiologyInfo.org, ACR/RSNA, 2024-04-01), but confirm yours by name.

• Confirm every medication-hold instruction with the physician who prescribes it, not just the biopsy office — protocols vary by facility and by drug, and you should not stop or start anything unless your provider tells you to (MedlinePlus, NIH/NLM).
• Ask for the fasting window as a number of hours before your scheduled start time, and write it down.
• Ask whether general anesthesia is planned; if it is for a breast biopsy, you will probably need to fast for several hours before surgery (MedlinePlus, NIH/NLM).
• Ask whether a liver biopsy is planned, which also carries an instruction not to eat or drink for a stated period beforehand (MedlinePlus, NIH/NLM).
• Arrange a named adult driver and their phone number; required with any sedation.
• Fill and start prescribed antibiotics exactly as directed.
• Do the bowel prep or enema at home if your provider asked for one.
• Type or write one page listing every prescription, over-the-counter drug, vitamin and herbal supplement with doses.
• Tell the office if you have a bleeding disorder, are pregnant, or have an allergy to latex, iodine or numbing medicines.
• Confirm post-procedure plans: who is collecting you, and who will call you with results.

Bring these items

Avoid these on the day

• Eating or drinking once your stated fasting window begins, unless the team cleared sips of water with pills.
• Jewelry, piercings, watches and body metal — leave them at home (RadiologyInfo.org, ACR/RSNA, 2024-04-01).
• Driving yourself if any sedation is planned.
• Taking a held blood thinner or NSAID "just this once" without calling first.
• Lotion, powder or deodorant over the biopsy site unless told otherwise.

For what you will owe, call the number on your insurance card and the facility's billing office before the date. Clinical staff cannot confirm coverage.

1. Wake early enough to shower; skip products over the biopsy site.
2. Do not eat or drink if your fasting window has started. If you broke it, call the office before you leave home.
3. Take only cleared medicines, with sips of water if that was approved (RadiologyInfo.org, ACR/RSNA, 2024-04-01).
4. Dress in loose clothing, leave jewelry at home, and pack ID, insurance card and your medication list.
5. Have your driver come with you if sedation is planned — a licensed adult who can wait, hear discharge instructions and take you home. A ride-share alone is usually not accepted.
6. Arrive 30 to 60 minutes before the scheduled start unless your facility gave a different arrival time; confirm yours when you book.
7. At check-in, tell staff exactly when you last ate and which pills you took.
8. Expect to stay for observation for several hours after some biopsy types (RadiologyInfo.org, ACR/RSNA, 2024-04-01). After sedation for a liver biopsy you should not drive, operate machinery, or make important or legal decisions for a stated period — ask for that number of hours (MedlinePlus, NIH/NLM).

Routine and expected: soreness at the site, a small bruise, mild spotting on the dressing, and grogginess for the rest of the day after sedation. Aftercare varies, but you may generally remove the bandage a stated time after the procedure and bathe or shower as normal (RadiologyInfo.org, ACR/RSNA, 2024-04-01) — get that interval from your team.

Call 911 or go to the ER: chest pain, trouble breathing, fainting, severe or worsening abdominal or shoulder pain, or bleeding that soaks through a dressing and does not slow with pressure. Call the office same-day for fever with chills, spreading redness or pus at the site.