Fine Needle Aspiration Flashcards, test questions and answers
Discover flashcards, test exam answers, and assignments to help you learn more about Fine Needle Aspiration and other subjects. Don’t miss the chance to use them for more effective college education. Use our database of questions and answers on Fine Needle Aspiration and get quick solutions for your test.
What is Fine Needle Aspiration?
Fine needle aspiration (FNA) is a medical procedure used to diagnose and treat certain diseases. It involves the insertion of a thin needle into the body, usually directly into a mass or tumor. FNA can be used to take a sample of the suspicious area and examine it under a microscope. This helps doctors determine whether further treatment is necessary, including surgery, chemotherapy or radiation therapy.The main advantage of FNA is that it is less invasive than traditional surgical biopsies and can provide results quickly, in as little as one day. Additionally, it causes minimal discomfort and rarely requires anesthesia or hospitalization. The procedure also carries fewer risks than open biopsies since no skin incisions are made. FNA has become an increasingly important tool for diagnosing cancer and other conditions since the early 1990s when its use first became widespread in the United States. Today, FNA is commonly used to diagnose thyroid problems, breast cysts and lumps, lymph node enlargement due to infection or inflammation as well as lung nodules caused by smoking or other factors. In recent years its use has expanded even further with some studies suggesting that FNA may be useful for diagnosing many different types of cancers including those in the pancreas, liver and kidney among others. There are also reports that FNA could be used to more accurately diagnose benign conditions such as ovarian cysts or cervical polyps before they become malignant tumors requiring more invasive treatments like surgery or chemotherapy.