I just had a biopsy on a nodule, and while my doctor said it's unlikey to be cancerous, I can't imagine what else they can find out? Any clues as to what exactly they're looking for and how they use that information for treatment?
As far as I know, Tigger, the only thing they can detect from an FNA is cancer, but someone more experienced with that may know more than I do. Most Dr.s will tell you it's likely not to be cancerous, which is true. Most nodules are NOT cancer, but there is that unlikely event that they are, thus the FNA just to be sure. Do you have multiple nodules? That is supposed to bring down the risk of cancer as well. I had multiple nodules, and my Dr. said less than 10% of patients with multiple growths have cancer. I just happened to be one of the lucky few Do you know when you'll get the results?
I only have one nodule that's a about 1.2cm. I get the results next week. They saw a tissue mass on the right side, but determined it wasn't a nodule by how it looked compared to the other one that had more definate borders.
A needle biopsy is only as good as the person doing the procedure. That said, they can tell if it's cancerous, non-conclusive, questionable, or non-cancerous. Even with non-c biopsy, a patient still has a small chance (5% ?) it could be cancerous. Most nodules (goiters) are not. Enlargement is VERY common.
They can detect Hashimoto's disease from a biopsy. I had a biopsy on a 1cm nodule. Got a second opinion: no nodule, looks like the biopsy was done on my thyroid alone? anyway, it showed Hurthle metaplasia and follicular cells along with other cells indicitive of "hashi's". My new endo says my findings are truly Hashi's related and surgery is NOT warrented. I knew I had Hashi's prior to biopsy but the configuration of cells tells them a lot, I hope this new guy is right? Nodules need to be watched for size increase etc.
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Hashi's / Hypo Jan 2008
C 5-6-7 fusion
L-5 s1, discectomy, ddd, o/a, scoliosis
Hysterectomy
Do you know when you'll get the results?
Re: What can they tell from a biopsy? 
