Fine Needle Aspirations

Aspiration of cells from tumors, often called fine needle aspiration or FNA, is a cytology procedure that can provide a diagnosis in select circumstances. The most common FNA procedure performed in most medical institutions are those involving the thyroid gland. FNA of thyroid nodules is often the first step in the diagnostic decision-making process for these lesions. The thyroid nodule FNA interpretation by the pathologist will usually place the lesion in a category that will help the clinician determine what the next step will be. Most pathologists use the Bethesda system for categorization of these thyroid lesions. Based on the pathologists review of these thyroid FNA’s, the clinician can determine if the patient will need to just be watched or undergo surgical excision of the lesion. Other lesions that may undergo FNA are those solid tumors in other internal organs.