Gastric Biopsy

Gastric biopsy is the removal of stomach tissue for examination. This test may be done to diagnose a stomach ulcer or the cause of other stomach symptoms. They may include:

Loss of appetite or weight loss
Nausea and vomiting
Pain in the upper part of the belly
Black stools
Vomiting blood or coffee-ground like material

A gastric tissue biopsy can help detect:

Cancer
Infections, most commonly helicobacter pylori, which can cause stomach ulcers.

For additional information, access the web site at www.nlm.nih.gov.