testicular biopsy is a test to remove a small sample of tissue from one or both testicles camera.gif and examine it under a microscope to evaluate a man's ability to father a child. The testicles (testes) are oval-shaped glands that hang in the scrotum beneath the base of the penis. The testicles produce sperm camera.gif (necessary for reproduction) and male hormones, such as testosterone. Why It Is Done A testicular biopsy may, on rare occasions, be done to help determine the cause of male infertility. Testicular biopsy may be done if both of the following are present: The man's semen does not have sperm. Hormone test results are within the normal range. Testicular biopsy is not usually used to detect testicular cancer. When cancer is suspected, an open surgical procedure (orchiectomy) is done to confirm the diagnosis.

Testicular biopsy may also be done to retrieve sperm for in vitro fertilization for intracytoplasmic sperm injection (IVF-ICSI).