Gastric tissue biopsy is the removal of stomach tissue for examination. A culture is a laboratory test that examines the tissue sample for bacteria and other organisms that can cause disease.

The gastric tissue biopsy sample is removed during an upper endoscopy. You will usually be given medicines to make you drowsy or less anxious before the test starts. For information on how this procedure is performed, see upper endoscopy (or EGD).

The health care provider sends the tissue sample to a laboratory where it is placed in a special dish and checked periodically to see if bacteria or other organisms have grown. This is called a culture.

Don't eat or drink anything for 6 - 12 hours before the biopsy procedure. For more information see upper endoscopy.

For information on how the biopsy procedure will feel, see: Upper endoscopy.

The laboratory culture is painless, since it does not involve the patient.

A gastric tissue biopsy and culture may be done to look for:

• Cancer
• Infections
• Ulcers

A gastric tissue culture may be considered normal if it does not show certain bacteria such as Helicobacter pylori or giardia.

Note: Normal value ranges may vary slightly among different laboratories. Talk to your doctor about the meaning of your specific test results.

Stomach acids normally prevent too much bacteria from growing. A gastric tissue culture may be considered abnormal if it shows certain bacteria such as Helicobacter pylori, which plays a role in ulcer disease.

There are no risks associated with a culture. For information on risks related to the biopsy procedure, see upper endoscopy.