Thyroid biopsy

A thyroid biopsy is a procedure used to collect a small tissue sample from the thyroid gland, which is located in the neck. Doctors do this to investigate lumps or nodules to determine if they are benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous). The most common method is a fine-needle aspiration, where a thin needle is inserted into the thyroid nodule to extract a small amount of cells. The sample is then examined under a microscope by a pathologist. The procedure is usually quick, minimally invasive, and helps guide further treatment decisions.