# FNA for lymph node- any differences from FNA for thyroid?



## redmoon (May 14, 2012)

Is it basically the same procedure and experience for the FNA for thyroid as it would be for lymph nodes?

I have a pre-surgery ultrasound on Monday and I'm scared they're going to say my lymph nodes need biopsy (which is a possibility) and that it will suck more than the ones on my thyroid did. :confused0003:


----------



## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

I dont know, but I doubt they would biopsy the nodes at this point.

I had a pre-surgery u/s to "map the thyroid beds." it was done in my hospitals imaging center and only involved techs (who would not biopsy). While the nodes looked good on u/s, the cancer ended up in three of the nodes. Biopsy wouldn't have helped because, regardless, they were doing a central neck dissection and pathology is significantly more accurate when you have the whole gland and nodes as opposed to FNA.

They were using the u/s to decide if they needed to do anything *more* than a central dissection.


----------

