In some cases it may be preferable to take a small portion of a tumor or other tissue to allow examination by a neuropathologist. This can be instrumental in making a diagnosis that allows the correct treatment strategy to be constructed and implemented. Depending on the location of the tissue to be biopsied, such a procedure can be very simple or relatively complicated. Most such biopsies are done using the stereotactic headframe. Instead of a large incision, an incision of approximately ' inch is made in the scalp and a small hole is made in the skull. This allows introduction of the biopsy probe into the appropriate tissue. This incision usually requires only a single stitch. As with a craniotomy, the patient is usually admitted on the morning of surgery. Headframe application and data acquisition proceeds as with a frame based craniotomy. The biopsy procedure itself, however, usually takes less than a half hour. The patient is usually discharged home on the morning following the procedure.