Understanding biopsy results for thyroid nodules

It is very common for patients with thyroid nodules to not have any symptoms. Normally, the doctor is only able to detect that there are nodules when they do the routine check up on the patient. This means that the patient will have no idea how long they might have the nodules. When the nodules have become visibly enlarged, this could mean that they already have nodules that have already grown considerably big to cause discomfort to the patient. Diagnosis of the nodules is very important to ensure that the patient gets the right idea as to how the condition of the thyroid gland, if it has cancerous or non cancerous cells and if the thyroid is functioning well or not. The right diagnosis is vital to ensure results.

One of the methods that can be used after the tests and diagnostic imaging of the thyroid gland is the fine needle biopsy. For someone who is not yet well informed, the idea of biopsy, the neck and needles can be extremely fear inducing. However, you should first listen to the doctor on how the process is made to dispel these fears. It is not a surgical procedure. It will not require any kind of anesthesia. It is done only in the doctor's office. The risks are close to none. What happens is a very fine needle is used to get some cell samples from the nodules. If the doctor has an image of the nodules, then it would be easier to detect where the point of entry will be. Normally, the person will have 1 nodule but it is possible that the person can have multiple nodules. The doctor will have to get samples on all possible nodules to check whether all of them are benign. This is the only way to actually dispel the possibility of cancer on the thyroid gland.

Based on the findings of the doctor, the nodule can be benign. More than 50 to 60 per cent of the biopsies result to benign nodules the risk of a misinterpretation is very little. Normally, they can be left there if the nodules do not grow. If the nodules enlarge, then it might need to be removed, also for the purpose of biopsy to check the condition of the nodule. On a malignant nodule, 5% of the biopsies result to this condition and the most common thyroid cancer is papillary. They have to be removed. In the case when the thyroid has been affected already by the malignant nodule, the doctor will have to decide the best possible method. Another result is suspicious. Around 10% of the biopsies would result to this one and it could either be a non cancerous adenoma or it could be follicular cancer. A thyroid scan has to be done and surgery is also necessary to remove the cancerous portions.  The result could also be inadequate or non diagnostic and this means that the cells taken are not sufficient to make the proper assessment. Normally, the nodules would have to be removed so that further investigations can be made.