What happens to the thyroid tissue obtained at the fine needle aspiration biopsy?
After the procedure, the tissue obtained is prepared onto glass slides and sent to the pathologist for evaluation. First, the pathologist determines whether or not enough thyroid tissue has been obtained for analysis. (When there is an insufficient amount, a repeat fine needle aspiration biopsy is necessary.) After analysis, the tissue is classified. Although the classifications used by pathologists vary, the tissue is usually reported as (1) benign; (2) malignant; (3) suspicious; or (4) indeterminate. The chance of a false negative test (a test report that is negative when cancer is actually present) varies from 0-5%, depending on where the test is performed. The chance of a false positive (a test report showing cancer when there is no cancer present) is less than 5% and is usually due to the presence of degenerating cells or atypical cells. These results are reported back to the doctor’s office, usually within one week. At this point, the doctor discusses the implications of the repo
