A 26-year-old member asked:
Do all thyroid nodules require a fine needle aspiration biopsy?
4 doctor answers • 9 doctors weighed in
Dr. Susan Wingoanswered
Endocrinology 35 years experience
No: Nodules less than 0.8 CM generally do not need further evaluation with fna (fine needle aspiration). Nodules 1.5 CM or greater should usually be checked with an fna. For intermediate nodules, those between 0.8 and 1.5 cm, a doctor may consider the appearance of the nodule, and other risk factors in deciding whether or not to recommend an fna.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.4k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Dr. Eric Whitmananswered
Surgical Oncology 38 years experience
No, but: That's a very complicated question. The short answer is no, but the nuances of which thyroid nodule to biopsy and when are complex and beyond the context of this forum.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Dr. Nagesh Ragavendra commented
undefined 53 years experience
Agree with Dr. Whitman. According to guidelines published by Society of Radiologists in Ultrasound (SRU), and American Thyroid Association (ATA), a thyroid nodule less than 1 cm in diameter does not require a biopsy. However, from my perspective, the nodules' internal architecture, as seen on ultrasound images, is far more revealing than size.
Oct 24, 2014
Dr. Marina Landaanswered
Pathology 34 years experience
Almost all: Fna is fast and informative way to evaluate thyroid nodules. Fna is recomended to undestand the morphology of the nodule: benign or malignant before treatment.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Dr. inderjit Deolanswered
Pathology 43 years experience
Usually Yes.: Fine needle aspiration biopsy is relatively easy procedure and it can give a lot of information whether cancerous or non-cancerous. If nodule is cancerous, it may classify the cancer such as; papillary, follicular, medullary or anaplastic type etc. Each may have different approach of treatment. If nodule is benign or reactive, you may not need further treatment. Follow up could be a recommendation
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
2.8k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
Last updated Sep 20, 2019
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