If you are feeling lethargic, have rapidly gained or lost weight or you’ve been dealing with headaches and nausea, there’s a chance that you are dealing with a problem with your thyroid gland. Many thyroid conditions can be diagnosed with imaging tests, but if these tests reveal a nodule or growth, a biopsy maybe needed to determine weather you are dealing with a benign or malignant tumor. Below, we take a look at what happens during a biopsy, and the different types of procedures.
What Is A Biopsy?
A biopsy operation involves removing a small sample of tissue from the affected area so that doctors can take a closer look at it under a microscope. This can help doctors determine if the growth is cancerous, or what is causing your thyroid-related condition. For example, a biopsy may be conducted to determine what is causing your goiter.
When it comes to thyroid biopsies, there are usually three methods:
- Fine-Needle Biopsy – During this type of biopsy, your surgeon will insert a thin needle through the skin and into the thyroid gland. This is generally the preferred type of biopsy, as it is less invasive to the patient.
- Open Biopsy – An open biopsy involves making an incision on the side of the throat in order to access the thyroid gland. A doctor will then take a tissue sample and close the wound.
- Core Needle Biopsy – A core needle biopsy is similar to a fine-needle biopsy, but this procedure involves a needle with a special tip that removes a sample of tissue that is about the size of a grain of rice.
For both of the needle biopsies, you will not need to do anything special prior to surgery. You will be awake during the biopsy. However, if you need to undergo an open biopsy, you will need to follow your surgeon’s instructions in regards to eating and drinking prior to surgery because you will be placed under general anesthesia. For needle biopsies, patients report a momentary stinging sensation when the needle is inserted, otherwise it is a very painless procedure.
Patients undergoing an open biopsy will not feel anything during the operation because they will be sedated.
Risks and Biopsy Results
Biopsies are very safe procedures, but like all operations, they do carry some risks. The main complications surgeons will prepare for during a biopsy is excessive bleeding or the development of an infection. Both of these complications are rare and doctors can treat them relatively easily once brought to their attention. If you are experiencing a lot of bleeding through your bandage, if you’re having a hard time swallowing, or if you notice signs of an infection like redness, swelling or heat coming from the biopsy site, contact your doctor right away.
It usually takes a few days before the tissue sample can be analyzed, but it shouldn’t take long for you to get your results. Your results will come back in one of two ways; Either the tissue sample will appear normal or abnormal. If your tissue sample comes back normal, you may have your thyroid monitored at regular intervals in the future just to ensure nothing problematic develops, because there is always the possibility of a false negative test. If your tissue sample comes back abnormal, your doctor will walk you through your options for taking care of whatever is causing your issue.
