Instrument (1) for taking a tissue sample, that comprises a tissue receiving element (3) with a distal end (7) and a proximal end (8) and at least partly consists of a spiral or helix that has an outer surface (11) and which has a central longitudinal axis (X-X'), characterised in that the spiral or helix has at least has one zone where the distance (dd) from the outer surface (11) to the central longitudinal axis (X-X') is smaller than at a more proximally located part of the spiral or helix.
