What is a fine needle aspiration?
A fine needle aspiration (FNA) is a type of biopsy. A biopsy is a test to check for cancer. To do one, the doctor takes a small sample of cells from the tumor or suspicious place. For an FNA, the doctor insets a very thin needle into the tumor to collect cells. Then the cells are looked at under a microscope for cancer cells. With lymphoma, sometimes an FNA doesn’t give the doctor enough cells to look at for a clear diagnosis. If that happens, another biopsy to remove more tissue may be needed.
Fine needle aspiration (FNA) is a technique used by clinicians to determine if your thyroid lesion is abnormal. This technique is an office procedure typically done under ultrasound where the physician places a needle in any concerning lumps in your thyroid and takes a specimen for pathology. This test is very good for determining if your thyroid lesion needs to have surgery to remove it. Patients usually have no problems with the procedure and do not need to change their daily activities.
