How to find a doctor who does coarse-needle biopsies?

[dkhiggin]

I have nodules on both sides of my thyroid.  I have been having annual ultrasounds for the past 6 years which have shown no changes until now.  Now, I have two new nodules and two of the existing nodules have gotten larger.  In the past, I have also had two fine-needle aspirations and the thyroid uptake scan, all with negative results.  My ENT wants to remove my thyroid because of the change in conditions.  My thyroid is still functional although I have not had blood work done in several years.

I was wondering if I shouldn't have a coarse needle biopsy first.  What if the nodules aren't cancerous at all?  Wouldn't it be better to keep the thyroid if it is still functioning and the nodules aren't cancerous?  From what I can tell, though, not very many doctors are familiar with coarse needle biopsies, and I don't know how to find a doctor that is.

[Smilerdeb]

My cancer was in the 'actual thyroid tissue ' too....I had no nodules whatsover.
This was found 2 days before RAI.
Yet mine was found with a FNA (fine needle aspiration) and not a CNA (coarse needle aspiration).
Once you start to get on meds after RAI , get to know your symptoms (hyper/hypo etc) then you are on the road to wellness.
Good Luck :)

[MANmom]

Just because you have benign nodules doesn't mean they aren't signaling a problem.  I had four nodules, had a "benign follicular clusters" FNA diagnosis, which does NOT tell you there isn't anything to worry about.  I STILL had cancer, it was in the actual thyroid tissue. A core biopsy would have had the same result. Four nodules, four tumors...I am awaiting RAI and miserable, but after the radioactive iodine treatment, I hope to be back to feeling fine in August. The surgery is a delicate operation, TT.  You might consider a lobectomy, take out the side with the biggest nodules or the most, then you have a chance for hormone function and they can test for cancer of BOTH the thyroid tissue and the nodules.

[Smilerdeb]

I cant understand why you would want a one inch incision in your neck when a FNA is just as thorough as a CNA.

Usually the CNA is only used to get tissue from the thyroid itself and not from the nodules.

I also cant understand why you havent had blood work done in years, yet want a course needle biopsy done.
Your previous FNA's have shown to be negative.
Blood tests would show if there was any suspicion of cancer as the white cell count (WCC) would be elevated causing suspicion.

By all means if you want a CNA done then thats your choice but I dont see the point in having it done until you at least get your labs done.
Without a FT3, FT4 and TSH..no-one can determine 100% whether the thyroid is still functioning or not.

Get your labs done first, along with antibody testing and then take it from there.
I would be getting EVERY lab test done first before I asked for a course needle aspiration as an anaestic is involved and a one inch incision for this proceedure.
Why stress yourself and the thyroid out even more?

As for your Doctor wanting to remove the thyroid...he isnt much of a Doctor if he hasnt done labs in a few years.
Just my opinion.