FINE NEEDLE ASPIRATION BIOPSY AS A SIMPLE AND ACCURATE DIAGNOSTIC PROCEDURE

Fine needle aspiration biopsy is a procedure of tissue aspiration using a fine needle to remove a sample of a suspected nodule or tumor. This procedure aims to help establish the diagnosis of benign and malignant tumors and can also be used to detect precancerous lesions with a fairly high degree of diagnostic accuracy. The smear from this biopsy can also be used as a patient's referral and the results can be used to determine the treatment priorities.

In certain disorders such as cystic thyroid tumors, fine needle aspiration biopsy is useful for both therapeutic and diagnostic. In this condition a biopsy is performed to shrink the tumor by removing the fluid present in the tumor. The liquid released will then be processed to be able to make a diagnosis microscopically.

Fine needle aspiration biopsy has many advantages. Technically, this action is simple, fast and quite easy. Aspiration can be done repeatedly. The costs required are also relatively cheaper than operating procedures. For patients, this procedure is relatively safer and more comfortable because it has a low risk of injury, does not cause scars, does not require fasting before or after the procedure and can be done in outpatient clinics. For clinicians, this procedure is very helpful because it can monitor the course of the disease and the effects of therapy without requiring invasive measures such as open biopsy or surgery.

However, besides having the advantage, fine needle aspiration biopsy also has some disadvantages. A fine needle biopsy procedure on a small tumor generally requires imaging guidance and there is a possibility that the material obtained is not representative enough to make a definitive diagnosis. In these conditions it is usually advisable to carry out further investigations that are more invasive, for example by surgery. In addition, not all diseases can be diagnosed through fine needle aspirations biopsy examination , such as malignant tumors in lymph nodes and certain types of malignant tumors in the thyroid gland.

As with other medical procedures, fine needle aspiration biopsy also has several complications. Complications that arise can be in the form of infection, if the aseptic procedure before the action is not done properly. In addition, other complications that may arise are bleeding, pneumothorax and air embolism, although rarely.