FAQs
There is no restriction before or after the procedure, you can eat, drink and take your medications.
Yes, you can drive yourself to the appointment.
There is no need for any time off from work, you can simply go back to work after your procedure.
You will have preliminary results before you leave your appointment; additionally, the doctor will be available to discuss any follow-up questions you may have.
No, the procedure is well tolerated by most of our patients. We use a local anesthetic/numbing spray on the skin in preparation for the biopsy.
Yes, this is one of the main reasons fine needle biopsies are performed. Additionally, flow cytometry and cell block material can be collected at time of procedure to add more information on types of lymphomas/cancers detected.
Fine needle aspiration (FNA) is a non-surgical/ minimally invasive procedure by which a sample of tissue is obtained by placing a very fine gauge needle into the lump for a few seconds to draw out cells for examination under the microscope. The procedure is fast, convenient, safe and well-tolerated by patients. No anesthesia or hospitalization is required. Patients can return to work immediately after the FNA biopsy.
Highly unlikely as the needle gauge is very fine (smaller than the usual gauge used to give blood or vaccines). Moreover, the procedure is ultrasound-guided, targeting the exact area in question/concern.
The size of the needle is very fine. For thyroid biopsies, we usually use 27 gauge needles, for other sites we usually use 25 gauge needles.
If you or your doctor discover a lump, it is important to determine whether or not it is a tumor—either benign or malignant—and gain information necessary for making a treatment plan.