Abstract:
A biopsy device is provided for obtaining a tissue sample, such as a breast tissue biopsy sample. The biopsy device includes a disposable probe assembly with an outer cannula having a distal piercing tip, a cutter lumen, and a cutter tube that rotates and translates past a side aperture in the outer cannula to sever a tissue sample. The biopsy device also includes a reusable handpiece with an integral motor and power source to make a convenient, untethered control for use with ultrasonic imaging. The reusable handpiece incorporates a probe oscillation mode to assist when inserting the distal piercing tip into tissue. An integral vacuum motor assists prolapsing tissue for effective severing as well as facilitating withdrawal of the tissue samples and bodily fluids from the biopsy site into a detachable, self-contained canister for transporting the separated biopsy samples and fluid for pathology assessment, avoiding biohazards in a clinical setting.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     The present application is a continuation-in-part of the co-pending and commonly-owned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/953,834, “BIOPSY APPARATUS AND METHOD” to Hibner et al., filed 29 Sep. 2004 (U.S. Pat. Publ. No. 2006/0074345) (END-5469USNP), the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention relates in general to biopsy devices, and more particularly to biopsy devices having a cutter for severing tissue, and even more particularly to biopsy devices for multiple sampling with a probe remaining inserted.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     When a suspicious tissue mass is discovered in a patient&#39;s breast through examination, ultrasound, MRI, X-ray imaging or the like, it is often necessary to perform a biopsy procedure to remove one or more samples of that tissue in order to determine whether the mass contains cancerous cells. A biopsy may be performed using an open or percutaneous method.  
         [0004]     An open biopsy is performed by making a large incision in the breast and removing either the entire mass, called an excisional biopsy, or a substantial portion of it, known as an incisional biopsy. An open biopsy is a surgical procedure that is usually done as an outpatient procedure in a hospital or a surgical center, involving both high cost and a high level of trauma to the patient. Open biopsy carries a relatively higher risk of infection and bleeding than does percutaneous biopsy, and the disfigurement that sometimes results from an open biopsy may make it difficult to read future mammograms. Further, the aesthetic considerations of the patient make open biopsy even less appealing due to the risk of disfigurement. Given that a high percentage of biopsies show that the suspicious tissue mass is not cancerous, the downsides of the open biopsy procedure render this method inappropriate in many cases.  
         [0005]     Percutaneous biopsy, to the contrary, is much less invasive than open biopsy. Percutaneous biopsy may be performed using fine needle aspiration (FNA) or core needle biopsy. In FNA, a very thin needle is used to withdraw fluid and cells from the suspicious tissue mass. This method has an advantage in that it is very low-pain, so low-pain that local anesthetic is not always used because the application of it may be more painful than the FNA itself. However, a shortcoming of FNA is that only a small number of cells are obtained through the procedure, rendering it relatively less useful in analyzing the suspicious tissue and making an assessment of the progression of the cancer less simple if the sample is found to be malignant.  
         [0006]     During a core needle biopsy, a small tissue sample is removed allowing for a pathological assessment of the tissue, including an assessment of the progression of any cancerous cells that are found. The following patent documents disclose various core biopsy devices and are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety: U.S. Pat. No. 6,273,862 issued Aug. 14, 2001; U.S. Pat. No. 6,231,522 issued May 15, 2001; U.S. Pat. No. 6,228,055 issued May 8, 2001; U.S. Pat. No. 6,120,462 issued Sep. 19, 2000; U.S. Pat. No. 6,086,544 issued Jul. 11, 2000; U.S. Pat. No. 6,077,230 issued Jun. 20, 2000; U.S. Pat. No. 6,017,316 issued Jan. 25, 2000; U.S. Pat. No. 6,007,497 issued Dec. 28, 1999; U.S. Pat. No. 5,980,469 issued Nov. 9, 1999; U.S. Pat. No. 5,964,716 issued Oct. 12, 1999; U.S. Pat. No. 5,928,164 issued Jul. 27, 1999; U.S. Pat. No. 5,775,333 issued Jul. 7, 1998; U.S. Pat. No. 5,769,086 issued Jun. 23, 1998; U.S. Pat. No. 5,649,547 issued Jul. 22, 1997; U.S. Pat. No. 5,526,822 issued Jun. 18, 1996; and US Patent Application 2003/0199753 published Oct. 23, 2003 to Hibner et al.  
         [0007]     At present, a biopsy instrument marketed under the trade name MAMMOTOME is commercially available from ETHICON ENDO-SURGERY, INC. for use in obtaining breast biopsy samples. This device generally retrieves multiple core biopsy samples from one insertion into breast tissue with vacuum assistance. In particular, a cutter tube is extended into a probe to cut tissue prolapsed into a side aperture under vacuum assistance and then the cutter tube is fully retracted between cuts to extract the sample, deposited upon an externally exposed surface accessible by a grasping instrument.  
         [0008]     With a long probe, the rate of sample taking is limited not only by the time required to rotate or reposition the probe but also by the time needed to translate the cutter. As an alternative to this “long stroke” biopsy device, a “short stroke” biopsy device is described in the following commonly assigned patent applications: U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/676,944, “Biopsy Instrument with Internal Specimen Collection Mechanism” filed Sep. 30, 2003 in the name of Hibner et al. The cutter is cycled across the side aperture, reducing the sample time. Several alternative specimen collection mechanisms are described that draw samples through the cutter tube, all of which allow for taking multiple samples without removing the probe from the breast.  
         [0009]     In particular, in the cross referenced U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/953,834, “BIOPSY APPARATUS AND METHOD” (END-5469USNP), these tissue samples are drawn by vacuum proximally through the cutter tube into a serial tissue stacking assembly that preserves the order of sample taking can be visually observed through a transparent lumen, and can serve as a transport container for samples taken during a pathology examination.  
         [0010]     Some clinicians prefer to capture a plurality of biopsy samples in a small canister attached to a proximal end of the biopsy instrument, such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,638,235 to Miller and U.S. Pat. Appl. Publ. No. 2006/0260994 to Mark. Vacuum draws these samples into the canister while allowing fluids to pass through tubing back to a fluid capturing receptacle. Periodically, the canister is disengaged from the biopsy instrument for removing each sample and sending to pathology professionals for assessment.  
         [0011]     While these known tissue storage approaches have a number of advantages, bodily tissues and fluids present a biological hazard to medical personnel that must be controlled while not interfering with the efficiency of the biopsy procedure.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0012]     The present invention addresses these and other problems of the prior art by providing a biopsy device that has a probe cannula that is inserted into tissue to obtain a core biopsy sample by translating a cutter with the probe cannula. A pneumatic pressure differential is used to draw a severed tissue sample proximally from the probe cannula into a biopsy sample and fluid capturing canister sized to complete a full biopsy and therapy procedure and to provide a convenient method of transporting the same to a pathology professional for sample assessment. Contact with the biopsy samples and extracted bodily fluids is avoided in that the container need not be opened in a biopsy suite. In addition, the overall volume of single patient use disposable items is reduced by combining the fluid collection and sample collection containers into a single reservoir, thereby reducing the volume of product inventory and biohazard waste materials.  
         [0013]     These and other objects and advantages of the present invention shall be made apparent from the accompanying drawings and the description thereof. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0014]     While the specification concludes with claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the present invention, it is believed the same will be better understood by reference to the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:  
         [0015]      FIG. 1  is an isometric view of a self-contained biopsy system including a biopsy device with cover omitted in fluid communication with the biopsy sample and fluid capturing canister.  
         [0016]      FIG. 2  an isometric view of the biopsy device of  FIG. 1  with the cover and lower handle tray omitted and a reusable handpiece disengaged from a disposable probe assembly.  
         [0017]      FIG. 3  an exploded view from below, left of the disposable probe assembly of  FIG. 2 .  
         [0018]      FIG. 4  is an isometric view from left, aft of the disposable probe assembly of  FIG. 2  cut away to expose a pneumatic sequencing spool valve.  
         [0019]      FIG. 5  is an exploded view of the biopsy sample and fluid capturing canister of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0020]      FIG. 6  is a vertical cross section bisecting the biopsy sample and fluid capturing canister of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0021]      FIG. 7  is a vertical cross section bisecting an alternative biopsy sample and fluid capturing canister for the biopsy system of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0022]     Turning to the Drawings, wherein like numerals denote like components throughout the several views, in  FIG. 1 , a biopsy device  10  includes a reusable handpiece  12  and a disposable probe assembly  14 . A self-contained biopsy system  16  is formed by attaching a replaceable biopsy sample and fluid capturing canister  18 . The canister  18  is generally sized to accommodate comfortably a volume of fluid that would be extracted, including saline flushing during a biopsy procedure with sufficient internal volume as well to hold biopsy tissue samples  19  ( FIG. 6 ). As such, biohazards associated with bodily tissue and fluids are mitigated in that all such materials are readily transported from a biopsy suite for pathology assessment without the necessity of on-site access.  
         [0023]     Tissue is drawn by vacuum assistance generated by vacuum pump  20  integral to the reusable handpiece  12  into a side aperture  22  of a probe cannula  24  of the disposable probe assembly  14 . The pneumatic vacuum assistance is achieved via a cutter tube  26  (exposed in the side aperture  22 ) that translates within a cutter lumen  28  of the probe cannula  24  and via an underslung lateral lumen  30  that distally communicates to the cutter lumen  28  through holes or apertures (not shown) just proximal to a piercing tip  32  of the probe cannula  24 . A DC motor  34  in the reusable handpiece  12  powers rotation and translation of the cutter tube  26  to effect the severing.  
         [0024]     The disposable probe assembly  14  responds to the position of the cutter tube  26  by sequencing pneumatic communication between the biopsy probe device  10  and the replaceable canister  18  via a vacuum supply line  36 , a needle vacuum line  38 , and a sample retraction line  40 . The vacuum supply line  36  receives vacuum pressure at its distal end from the vacuum pump  20  and proximally passes through and proximally is engaged over a hose nib  42  formed onto the canister lid  44  of the canister  18 . The needle vacuum line  38  distally communicates to a pneumatic sequencing spool valve  46  in the disposable probe assembly  14  and is frictionally held within a first protruding cylindrical hose receptacle  48  formed onto a canister lid  44  of the canister  18 . The sample retraction line  40  distally communicates to the disposable probe assembly  14  and proximally passes through and is frictionally held within a second protruding cylindrical hose receptacle  50 . The reusable handpiece  12  includes a pneumatic manifold  52  having an upper right port  54  connected to the vacuum supply line  36  and an upper left port  56  open to atmosphere. It should be appreciated that the manifold  52  serves as a mounting for the vacuum pump  20  that generates the pressure differential between the ports  54 ,  56 .  
         [0025]     With particular reference to  FIGS. 1-2 , insertion of the probe cannula  24  into tissue is integrally supported by the piercing tip  32  attached at the distal end as well as a longitudinal jack hammer motion to the probe cannula  24  selected by positioning a slide button  58  distally and depressing a forward motor button  60 . In response, the DC motor  34  drives a transmission section  61  grounded to a top cover  64  (depicted in phantom in  FIG. 1 ) of the reusable handpiece  12  to longitudinally reciprocate an internal carriage frame assembly  62  that is engaged for movement with the probe cannula  24 . With the slide button  58  proximally positioned, depression of the forward motor button  60  causes the DC motor  34  to advance and rotate the cutter tube  26 , depicted in  FIG. 1  as having been fully distally translated, closing the side aperture  20 . Depression of a reverse motor button  68  causes the cutter tube  26  to retract. Depression of a mode button  70  may cause other functions to be performed. An additional feature contemplated but not depicted includes using the mode button  70  to selectively communicate a saline supply to the lateral lumen  30  to flush the probe cannula  24 . It should be appreciated that the biopsy device  10  includes a minimum of “tethers” that would impede use, pose a tripping hazard, prevent use in an austere clinical setting, or extend set-up time.  
         [0026]     Alternatively, instead of “hard-walled” lateral lumen  30  separated from the cutter lumen  28  along its length, applications consistent with the present invention may have a cylindrical probe cannula (not depicted) wherein the cutter tube  26  is positioned off-center to translate across a side aperture. A “soft-walled” lateral lumen may then be defined as a space between an outer diameter of the cutter tube and an inner diameter of the cylindrical probe cannula.  
         [0027]     In  FIGS. 1-4 , the disposable probe assembly  14  has a bottom cover  78  with a distal probe mount cover  80  that assists in supporting the probe cannula  24  while allowing the longitudinal jack hammer motion. A plurality of locking tabs  82  with locking edges  84  extend upwardly through pass-through slots (not shown) formed in the periphery of a lower handle tray  86  ( FIG. 1 ) attached to the cover  64  of the reusable handpiece  12  to resiliently extend outwardly into engaging contact with the slots facilitating replacement of the disposable probe assembly  14 . Relieved areas  88  are formed behind each locking tab  82  in a top extension member  89  that surrounds a probe support body  90 . The combination covers a cavity defined by the bottom cover  78 , which allows depression of the locking tabs  82  to unlock the disposable probe assembly  14  to install another identical or similar assembly.  
         [0028]     A proximal end of the cutter tube  26  receives a cutter gear  92  having distal and proximal reduced diameter bearing surfaces  94 ,  96  on each longitudinal side of a rotation spur gear section  98 , which engage the reusable handpiece  12  for rotation and for longitudinal translation through a distally open longitudinal aperture  100  ( FIG. 3 ) formed in the bottom cover  78 .  
         [0029]     In  FIGS. 2-4 , the disposable probe assembly  14  has movable components that respond to the actuating motions of the reusable handpiece  12 . The probe support body  90  includes a distal probe mount  106  that is received within the distal probe mount cover  80  of the bottom cover  78 . Proximal to and underlying a longitudinal axis of the disposable probe assembly  14  defined by a probe guide hole  108  passing through the distal probe mount  106 , a vertically open longitudinal slot  110  is formed into a necked portion  112  of the probe support body  90 .  
         [0030]     With particular reference to  FIGS. 3-4 , at a proximal end of the longitudinal trough  110 , a distally open, longitudinally aligned valve bore  114  is formed in a proximal block portion  116  of the probe support body  90 . Central and proximal ports  118 ,  120  communicate with the valve bore  114  laterally from a left side of the proximal block portion  116  and a distal port  122  communicates laterally from a right side of the proximal block portion  116 . A right distal ninety-degree fitting  124  communicates between the distal port  122  and an intake filter  128 .  
         [0031]     A valve control rod  130  has a prismatic distal actuating portion  132  extending distally out of the valve bore  114  constrained for only longitudinally movement within the longitudinal slot  110 . The valve control rod  130  also has a valve spool portion  134  that longitudinally translates within the valve bore  114  to selectively position between a first position and a second position. A proximal O-ring  136  near a proximal end of the valve spool portion  134  and a distal O-ring  138  are spaced such that the first position entails the O-rings  136 ,  138  bracketing the central and distal ports  118 ,  122  (i.e., distal position of the valve control rod  130 ) and the second position entails the O-rings  136 ,  138  bracketing the proximal and central ports  120 ,  118 , respectively (i.e., proximal position of the valve control rod  130 ).  
         [0032]     A distal vacuum conduit  140  has one end attached to a center ninety-degree fitting  142  attached to the central port  118  and the other end attached to a probe union ninety-degree fitting  144  that communicates with the lateral lumen  30 . The needle vacuum line  38  has its distal end attached to a proximal ninety degree fitting  146  attached to the proximal port  120 .  
         [0033]     A front actuation finger  148  ( FIG. 2 ) of a front carriage  150  is received within an upwardly open socket  152  formed on a left side of a vacuum control shuttle  154  having a lateral concave recessed band  156  shaped to encompass with a clearance a lower portion of the rotation spur gear section  98  of the cutter gear  92 . The vacuum control shuttle  154  is laterally sized to bridge the longitudinal slot  110  with a downwardly projecting vacuum actuator lug  157  ( FIG. 3 ) attached to an underside of the shuttle  154  that is received within a vertically open elongate delay slot  158  of the distal actuating end  132  of the vacuum control rod  130 . Thus, the rather long cutter travel is translated into a smaller valve movement as the shuttle reaches either full proximal or full distal travel.  
         [0034]     A sample retraction line  40  is proximally held by a tube guide  162  extending inwardly from proximal end of the top extension member  89  of the disposable probe assembly  14 . A distal end of the longitudinally aligned sample retraction line  40  is received through a rear dynamic seal  164  attached to a proximal end of the cutter gear  92 , and into the cutter tube  26 .  
         [0035]     The reusable handpiece  12  of the biopsy device  10  is substantially as described in greater detail in four commonly-owned and co-pending U.S. patent applications (1) Ser. No. 11/198,558, “Biopsy Device With Replaceable Probe And Incorporating Vibration Insertion Assist And Static Vacuum Source Sample Stacking Retrieval” to Hibner et al., [Attorney Docket END5375USNP] filed 08 Aug. 2005, published as US 2007-0032741 A1; (2) Ser. No. 11/736,117, “Tissue Sample Revolver Drum Biopsy Device” to Hibner et al., [Attorney Docket END5375USCIP2] filed 17 Apr. 2007; (3) Ser. No. 11/753,665, “Tissue Sample Serial Capturing Biopsy Device” to Hibner, [Attorney Docket END5469USCIP1] filed 25 May 2007; and (4) Ser. No. 11/465,143 “Vacuum Syringe Assisted Biopsy Device” to Hibner, filed 17 Aug. 2006, [Attorney Docket END5375USCIP3] published as US 2007-0032743 A1, the disclosures of all of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. An aft carriage is omitted from the illustrative version for clarity as not being necessary, although a common reusable handpiece may include a second carriage for mounting to other types of disposable probe assemblies as described in the cross referenced applications.  
         [0036]     In  FIGS. 5-6 , the biopsy sample and fluid capturing canister  18  has a tapered cylindrical fluid container  170  whose upper band-shaped lip seals  172  to and is encompassed by a downward circumferential lip  174  of the canister lid  44 . A sample collector basket  176  has tapered cylindrical sides  178  shaped to come to rest at approximately a midpoint of the interior of the fluid container  170 . Near the top of the tapered cylindrical sides  178  of the sample collector basket  176 , a perforated disk  180  is horizontally attached to serve as support to a filter disk  182  adhered to an undersurface. The combination acts in a similar fashion to a drip coffee filter basket. About approximately a third of the upper circumference of the cylindrical sides  178  of the sample collector basket  176 , a raised side wall portion  184  culminates in a horizontal and inwardly projecting annular ring portion  186  that serves as a handle for drawing the sample collector basket  176  out of the fluid container  170 .  
         [0037]     The center of the perforated disk  180  of the sample collector basket  176  includes a first hose receptacle  188  registered for the needle vacuum line  38  to pass on downward into a fluid collection reservoir  190  formed within the fluid container  170  below the perforated disk  180  of the sample collector basket  176 . The center of the perforated disk  180  of the sample collector basket  176  also includes a second hose receptacle  192  registered for the sample retraction line  40  to pass on downward into the fluid collection reservoir  190 . It should be appreciated that caps or a closed lid (not shown) may be used to seal the biopsy sample and fluid capturing canister  18  after the lines  36 ,  38 ,  40  are removed.  
         [0038]     With reference to  FIGS. 4 and 6 , in use, the cutter  26  is initially distally positioned as the probe cannula  24  is inserted into tissue. The vacuum motor  20  operates providing a low pressure within the fluid collection reservoir  190  inside of the replaceable canister  18  via vacuum supply line  36 . A hydrophobic filter  198  prevents fluids from reaching the vacuum motor  20 . The low pressure communicates to the cutter tube  26  via the sample retraction line  40 . After the probe cannula  24  is inserted into tissue beside a suspicious lesion, the cutter tube  26  is retracted. The spool valve  46  is in the first position, with the vacuum lumen  30  vented to atmosphere via central port  118  and distal port  122 . The retraction of the cutter gear  92  causes the shuttle  154  to retract correspondingly with its downward lug  152  moving within the delay slot  158  of the distal actuating portion  132  of the valve control rod  130 . Once the carriage  150  of the reusable handpiece  12  reaches full proximal travel, the lug  157  contacts the proximal end of the delay slot  158  and changes the pneumatic sequencing spool valve  46  from the first position to the second position. Thus, the vacuum lumen  30  is also exposed to vacuum via central and proximal ports  118 ,  120  of the spool valve  46  that communicates via the needle vacuum line  38  to the replaceable container  18 , exposing the suspicious lesion to the vacuum assistance from both lines  38 ,  40  to prolapse tissue into the side aperture  20 . The spool valve  46  stays in this configuration as the cutter tube  26  is advanced distally while rotating to sever the tissue sample  19 . As the shuttle  154  approaches its distal-most position, the lug  157  contacts the distal end of the delay slot  158  of the distal actuating portion  132  of the valve control rod  130 , changing to the first position wherein the vacuum lumen  30  is vented to atmosphere and the tissue sample  19  is retracted into the replaceable container  18  by vacuum pressure via the sample retraction line  40 .  
         [0039]     Once tissue samples  19  are collected in the replaceable container  18 , the replaceable container  18  is removed from the biopsy device  10  and transported to a pathology professional for sample assessment.  
         [0040]     Alternately, the bodily fluids are drained from the container and replaced with tissue preparation fluid (e.g. Formalin) prior to being sent off for pathological assessment. The bodily fluids are removed from the replaceable canister  18  by removing the canister lid  44 , needle vacuum line  38 , and the sample retraction line  40  from the replaceable canister assembly  18 . While supporting the tapered cylindrical fluid container  170  and the annular ring portion  186  located on sample collector basket  176 , the fluids are poured from the tapered cylindrical fluid container  170  with the tissue samples  19  remaining in the tapered cylindrical fluid container  170 . The sample collector basket  176  and attached filter disk  182  are then removed form the tapered cylindrical fluid container  170  and tissue preparation fluid (e.g. Formalin) is poured into the tapered cylindrical fluid container  170 . A canister lid (not shown) without hose receptacles or nibs is attached to the tapered cylindrical fluid container  170  prior to transporting to a pathology professional for sample assessment. Alternately, after the fluids are poured from the tapered cylindrical fluid container  170 , the sample collector basket  176 , and attached filter disk  182  are removed from the tapered cylindrical fluid container  170 . The tissue samples  19  are transferred from the tapered cylindrical fluid container  170  into a container (not shown) containing tissue preparation fluid (e.g. formalin) prior to transportation to a pathology professional for sample assessment.  
         [0041]     Another alternate embodiment of a biopsy sample and fluid capturing canister  18 ′ is depicted in  FIG. 7  as including a fully enclosed sample collector basket  192  with a lower perforated disk  194  and filter  196  to fully contain the tissue samples  19  as they exit sample retraction line  40 . The lower perforated disk  194  and filter  196  act to separate the tissue samples  19  from bodily fluids. Once tissue samples  19  are collected in the replaceable container  18 , the fully enclosed sample collector basket  192  can be removed form the replaceable container  18  and placed directly into a container (not shown) containing tissue preparation fluid (e.g. Formalin) prior to transportation to a pathology professional for sample assessment.  
         [0042]     It should be appreciated that any patent, publication, or other disclosure material, in whole or in part, that is said to be incorporated by reference herein is incorporated herein only to the extent that the incorporated material does not conflict with existing definitions, statements, or other disclosure material set forth in this disclosure. As such, and to the extent necessary, the disclosure as explicitly set forth herein supersedes any conflicting material incorporated herein by reference. Any material, or portion thereof, that is said to be incorporated by reference herein, but which conflicts with existing definitions, statements, or other disclosure material set forth herein, will only be incorporated to the extent that no conflict arises between that incorporated material and the existing disclosure material.  
         [0043]     While preferred embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described herein, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art, given the benefit of the present disclosure, that such embodiments are provided by way of example only. Numerous variations, changes, and substitutions will now occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.  
         [0044]     For example, as a means to further reduce the size and weight of the overall biopsy device  10 , the DC motor  34  employed to rotate and translate the cutter tube  26  can also drive the vacuum pump  20  via appropriate gearing.  
         [0045]     For another example, although the integral vacuum pump advantageously makes the biopsy device  10  more self-sufficient in austere clinical situations, applications consistent with aspects of the invention may employ a separate vacuum source.  
         [0046]     As another example, while a DC motor integral to the reusable handpiece has certain advantages in the illustrative version, applications consistent with aspects of the invention may utilize a motor comprising materials compatible with use in a strong magnetic environment (e.g., magnetic resonance imaging) or remotely placed (e.g., via a drive cable).  
         [0047]     As another example, while a pneumatically closed system between the replaceable container  18  and the biopsy device  10  provides various advantages, applications consistent with aspects of the invention may provide separate vacuum source connections to the biopsy device and to the replaceable container  18 .