A thyroid fine needle aspiration biopsy is a procedure that removes a small sample of tumour cells from the thyroid gland using a puncture needle.
Indications for this procedure:
- Thyroid nodules larger than 1 cm (detected by ultrasound);
- Thyroid nodules of any size (less than 10 mm) extending beyond the thyroid capsule combined with lesions of the cervical lymph nodes;
- Thyroid nodules of any size in patients who have family history of diagnosed thyroid cancer or multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1;
- Thyroid nodules of any size in patients with high calcitonin level or who had surgery for thyroid cancer;
- A significant increase in a previously detected thyroid nodule size during follow-up.
HOW IS A BIOPSY DONE?
- No special preparation is required, the procedure takes 5 to 10 minutes.
- A local anesthetic may be applied before the procedure.
- Is performed with a puncture needle under ultrasound guidance.
- The obtained cells are sent to cytology.
