What is a thyroid fine needle aspiration biopsy?

甲状腺细针穿刺活检是一种从甲状腺中取出一小块组织样本的手术. Cells are removed through a small, hollow needle. The sample is sent to the lab for analysis.

The thyroid gland is in the front of your neck. 它呈蝴蝶状，两个裂片由一条狭窄的组织带连接. It is an endocrine gland that makes thyroid hormone. This hormone has many functions in your body.

In some cases, hard nodules form inside the gland. You might notice a small bump in your gland area. Most times, the nodules are not dangerous. But in some cases they can be thyroid cancer. 甲状腺细针穿刺活检可以从结节中提取样本来检测癌症.

Why might I need a thyroid fine needle aspiration biopsy?

你可能需要检查你的结节是否癌变. You might have noticed the nodule yourself, 或者你的医疗保健提供者可能在考试或其他测试中注意到它.

Researchers do not know what causes most thyroid nodules. They are very common, though. Certain problems with the thyroid gland, like Hashimoto thyroiditis, may increase your chances of getting a thyroid nodule. Thyroid nodules are much more common in women than in men. Nodules tend to grow during pregnancy. 接受过颈部放射治疗的人也更容易患结节. 如果你的家庭成员已经患有甲状腺和某些其他癌症，你患甲状腺结节或甲状腺癌的风险会增加.

只有一小部分甲状腺结节会变成癌症. 尽早发现癌性结节是很重要的, so that you can begin treatment quickly.

并不是每个甲状腺结节患者都需要细针穿刺活检. 您的医疗保健提供者可能会对您的颈部进行超声波或计算机断层扫描(CT)扫描. 有时，这提供了足够的信息来知道结节不是由癌症引起的. 甲状腺水平的血液测试也可能提供有用的信息. If your healthcare provider can’t tell for sure, you’ll probably need a thyroid fine needle aspiration biopsy.

该程序比开放和封闭的手术活检侵入性更小. These involve larger incisions in your skin. 医疗保健提供者执行这些程序比细针穿刺活检少得多.

What are the risks of thyroid fine needle aspiration biopsy?

甲状腺细针穿刺活检是一种非常安全的手术，但它确实有一些轻微的风险. These include:

• Bleeding at the biopsy site
• Infection
• Damage to the structures near the thyroid

因为大多数医疗保健提供者使用超声波来指导手术, this last complication is rare.

还有一个小的风险是细针穿刺活检不能确定结节是否癌变. If this happens, you might need a repeat biopsy.

How do I prepare for a thyroid fine needle aspiration biopsy?

甲状腺细针穿刺活检的准备工作很少. 在手术前询问你的医疗保健提供者你是否应该停止服用任何药物, like blood thinners. 手术前你应该能正常饮食. 你可能会去诊所做这个手术. You should be able to go home that same day.

What happens during a thyroid fine needle aspiration biopsy?

有些人，比如孩子，在手术前可能需要一种药物来帮助他们放松. Most people will not need this, though.

In some cases, 在插入针头之前，您的医疗保健提供者可能会在该区域注射局部麻醉剂. Because the needle is so small, this is often not necessary.

您的医疗保健提供者可能会在超声波机器的帮助下进行活检. 这台机器使用高频声波来提供结节的持续图像. 这使您的医疗保健提供者能够将针头精确地引导到正确的位置. It also prevents damage to other structures. 一种凝胶状物质将被涂在你的脖子上，那里将使用超声波探测器.

在清理完这个区域后，医生会将细针插入你的甲状腺. This may hurt a little. 他或她将慢慢地将针插入结节本身, moving it back and forth several times.

针头连接在注射器上，注射器可以施加吸力并从结节中取出一些细胞. 取出针头后，这些细胞将被放置在载玻片上. 您的医疗保健提供者可能会重复此过程几次，以从结节的不同部位获得不同的样本. Sometimes the lump will be all or mainly fluid. The fluid can be removed during the biopsy.

手术后，细胞将被送到病理实验室，分析癌症的迹象. A small bandage will be placed over the needle insertion site.

What happens after a fine needle aspiration biopsy?

大多数人将能够立即恢复他们的正常活动. You can remove your bandage within a few hours.

活检的部位可能会在手术后疼痛一两天. You can take over-the-counter pain medicines if you need to. 遵循您的医疗保健提供者给您的任何其他具体指示.

可能需要几天的时间才能从病理实验室得到检查结果. 询问你的医疗服务提供者，你什么时候可以拿到检查结果.

如果你的甲状腺结节不是癌症，你可能不需要任何进一步的治疗. Your provider may want to monitor your nodule, though, and you might need another biopsy in the future. 在某些情况下，你的医疗保健提供者可能会提供甲状腺激素药片. 这些有时可以降低结节重新生长的可能性.

如果结节癌变，你可能需要手术治疗. Luckily, most thyroid cancers are curable.

有时，病理学家不能确定你的结节是否是癌症. 在这种情况下，您的医疗保健提供者可能会建议重复活检或手术. Whatever your test results, 您可以与您的医疗保健提供者合作，为您制定最佳的治疗计划.

Next steps

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