Patent ID: 7794411

Claim:
A biopsy device comprising: a housing; an elongate outer piercing needle extending from the housing, the outer piercing needle having a closed distal end and a lateral opening located proximal to the closed distal end for receiving a portion of a tissue mass, and the outer piercing needle rotatable with respect to the housing for positioning the lateral opening to receive tissue at multiple angular positions about the longitudinal axis of the needle; an elongate hollow cutter disposed at least partially within the outer piercing needle, the cutter translatable and rotatable with respect to the housing and with respect to the lateral opening in the outer piercing needle, and the cutter having a sharpened distal end for cutting tissue received in the lateral opening of the outer piercing needle; a first motor for providing rotation of the needle with respect to the housing; a second motor for providing rotation of the cutter with respect to the needle; and a third motor for providing translation of the cutter with respect to the needle.