What does it mean when a thyroid biopsy is inconclusive?
An inconclusive diagnosis is one for which there is no certainty about the nature of your nodule; it could be either benign or malignant. This means that it is not possible to determine the nature of your lump. Either the FNA has to be repeated or the possibility of surgery should be discussed with your doctor.
Is thyroid calcification serious?
Conclusions: When calcification is noted within a solitary thyroid nodule, the risk of malignancy is very high. Surgery should be recommended regardless of the result of fine-needle aspiration cytologic findings.
Can a calcified thyroid nodule be benign?
Calcification is a common phenomenon in both benign and malignant thyroid nodules,15,16 and the incidence of calcification in malignant nodules is higher. Many studies have assessed various calcifications for their diagnostic value in benign and malignant nodules.
How common are thyroid calcifications?
Calcification within the thyroid gland is a common finding both on thyroid imaging and thyroid histopathologic findings. It has been reported to be present in up to 21% of plain x-rays of the thyroid gland1 and up to 39% of thyroid ultrasonographies.
What happens if a needle biopsy is inconclusive?
A biopsy is sometimes inconclusive, which means it hasn’t produced a definitive result. In this case, the biopsy may need to be repeated, or other tests may be required to confirm your diagnosis.
Why is my biopsy inconclusive?
Sometimes, the result of a biopsy will be inconclusive, meaning that the test has not produced a definitive result. This can happen for several reasons: There could have been a problem processing the sample, the sample didn’t contain enough of the affected tissue or the sample size was not large enough.
How is thyroid calcification treated?
Doctors use radioactive iodine to treat hyperthyroidism. Taken as a capsule or in liquid form, radioactive iodine is absorbed by your thyroid gland. This causes the nodules to shrink and signs and symptoms of hyperthyroidism to subside, usually within two to three months.
What causes calcification in thyroid?
Dystrophic calcification of thyroid results from degenerative changes (calcified colloid and degenerated epithelium, psammoma bodies, old hemorrhage, vessel wall, etc.)
When should I be concerned about thyroid nodules calcification?
The presence of microcalcifications (and not macrocalcifications) on an ultrasound is felt to be highly suggestive of thyroid cancer because they are assumed to correlate with the round, calcified Psammoma bodies of papillary thyroid cancer that a pathologist sees when examining thyroid tissue under a microscope after …
What causes calcification on thyroid?
What does it mean when a thyroid nodule is calcified?
Is an inconclusive biopsy good?
Sometimes, a biopsy will be inconclusive, meaning it hasn’t produced a definitive result. If this is the case, the biopsy may need to be repeated or other tests may be needed to double-check your diagnosis.