Thyroid Biopsy

In a thyroid biopsy, your doctor takes a very small sample from your thyroid gland or from a lump called a nodule, using a very fine needle in a fully sterile environment, and sends it for laboratory analysis.

Nodules are quite common in the thyroid gland and are usually not cancerous. They can cause many different health problems. Sometimes your thyroid gland may grow larger than normal; when referring to this, your doctor will use the term goiter. Of course, before a thyroid biopsy your doctor will need some laboratory tests to assess thyroid gland function.

So what does a biopsy tell us?

• Cysts can be detected. These are fluid-filled nodules and may cause neck pain and difficulty swallowing.
• Graves' disease is a condition that causes the thyroid gland to enlarge and produce too much hormone, and it can be detected by biopsy.
• Hashimoto's disease occurs when your thyroid gland is damaged by your own immune system. Hormone secretion decreases.
• Infections that cause swelling of your thyroid gland can be detected.
• Large nodules and goiter can be detected; sometimes they grow so large that they can make even swallowing and breathing difficult.
• Toxic nodules can be detected; they cause excessive hormone production.
• Thyroid cancers can also be detected this way.