Which procedure involves removal of muscle tissue for microscopic examination?

• A. Palpation
• B. Muscle biopsy
• C. Otoscopy
• D. Pap smear

Answer: (B)

The main idea here is distinguishing procedures that obtain tissue samples for microscopic examination from those that don’t sample tissue. A muscle biopsy specifically removes a small piece of muscle tissue, which is then examined under a microscope to look for abnormalities in muscle fibers, inflammation, or other pathology. This tissue sample can reveal conditions like muscular dystrophy, inflammatory myopathies, or other muscle diseases, and it often guides diagnosis and treatment.

Feeling with the hands, or palpation, is used to assess texture, tenderness, or size but does not remove tissue. Otoscopy involves looking into the ear with a scope, not sampling tissue. A Pap smear collects cervical cells for cytology screening, not muscle tissue. So the procedure that involves removing muscle tissue for microscopic examination is the muscle biopsy.