Patent ID: 7008383

Claim:
A method of conducting a needle biopsy procedure, comprising: mounting a biopsy needle to a needle support of a device to cause reciprocation of the biopsy needle; reciprocating the biopsy needle along its longitudinal axis by the device by converting rotational motion to reciprocatory motion of the needle support by coupling the needle support to a circumferential groove on an external surface of a rotatable cylinder of the device, the groove having at least a portion at an oblique angle with respect to an axis of rotation of the cylinder, the needle support being coupled to the groove through a slot in a housing, the slot having a longitudinal axis aligned with the longitudinal axis of the needle and at an oblique angle with respect to at least a portion of the groove, such that rotation of the cylinder causes reciprocation of the needle support along the longitudinal axis of the slot; advancing the reciprocating needle to a site of interest within a subject; collecting tissue at the site of interest; and withdrawing the needle.