Fine Needle Aspiration Doctor in Palmdale, CA
Finding the right doctor for a biopsy can be stressful. You want answers quickly, without unexpected costs or delays. For patients in Palmdale, California, Dr. Celina Nadelman offers expert Fine Needle Aspiration (FNA) biopsy services from her Beverly Hills office.
Many people in the Antelope Valley area choose to travel to her practice because she provides accurate results, affordable pricing, and a seamless experience from start to finish.
Dr. Nadelman is a board-certified cytopathologist who performs and interprets every biopsy herself. This ensures maximum accuracy and a seamless patient experience from start to finish.
Why Palmdale Patients Choose Dr. Nadelman for FNA Biopsies
Large hospital systems often separate a biopsy into multiple appointments and bills. Patients may see one provider for imaging, another for the biopsy, and a third for lab work. Each part carries its own fee, which can quickly drive up the total cost. At Dr. Nadelman’s private practice, the process is different. Everything is handled by one board-certified cytopathologist, so you get the clarity you need faster and at a lower cost.
Key Benefits for Palmdale Patients
- Fast scheduling: Many patients are seen within 24 to 48 hours.
- Quick results: Most receive preliminary results within 24 hours, avoiding long waiting periods.
- One bill, no surprises: Consultation, ultrasound, biopsy, and interpretation are included in a single bill.
- Expert care: Dr. Nadelman is both the physician performing your biopsy and the specialist interpreting your sample.
- Compassionate approach: Each patient receives one-on-one attention in a comfortable setting.
STEPS TO YOUR BIOPSY
In order to determine whether a lump is malignant, cancerous cells from the area must be examined under a microscope. Those cells can be obtained with a surgical biopsy or an FNA biopsy. An FNA biopsy is done in a doctor’s office with a very thin needle. Not only can the appointment be made within days, it is much less uncomfortable, and has less risk of bleeding or trauma to the tissue.From the patient’s perspective, an FNA is faster, can be performed in a doctor’s office, is less expensive and there is less tissue trauma than with a more invasive surgical biopsy.
How the Fine Needle Aspiration Process Works
When you visit Dr. Nadelman, your entire biopsy experience is completed in one location:
- Initial consultation and review of your medical history.
- On-site ultrasound to evaluate the lump or nodule.
- Ultrasound-guided FNA biopsy performed by Dr. Nadelman.
- Immediate assessment of the sample at bedside to reduce the risk of non-diagnostic results.
- Interpretation of your biopsy by Dr. Nadelman herself, so you are not waiting on an outside lab.
This approach is especially helpful for patients coming from Palmdale and surrounding communities, since it limits the need for multiple trips and eliminates the confusion of dealing with several providers.
Saving Palmdale Patients Time and Money
Insurance companies often reimburse hospitals at higher rates, which can leave patients with larger out-of-pocket bills even if they have PPO coverage. At Dr. Nadelman’s office, the billing is transparent and direct. Patients know the cost upfront and avoid hidden facility fees or third-party charges. By choosing a private practice, Palmdale patients often save thousands of dollars compared to major medical centers.
Get more details here:
FAQ’s on Fine Needle Aspiration
Fine Needle Aspiration is a method of taking a small amount of tissue from a lump in the body. A very thin needle is inserted into the lump and tissue is dislodged by movement of the needle and/or by gentle suction. The tissue is then examined microscopically by a pathologist. The pathologist will make a diagnosis (find out the cause of the lump) and send a report to your doctor.
No, the procedure is completely painless. However, the needles used in FNA are very thin. Also, for your comfort, local anesthesia is often used before the FNA. If you are sore after the procedure, a simple pain reliever such as Tylenol (no nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories, i.e. Advil) or an ice pack may alleviate mild symptoms.
Most doctors consider FNA to be a very good test. Overall, it is about 90-95% accurate when the aspiration and interpretation are done by an experienced cytopathologist. There is a small chance (usually less than 10%, depending on the size, location and nature of the lump) that the FNA will not be interpreted as cancer when cancer is there. Very rarely (usually less than 1% of the cases), FNA may be falsely interpreted as cancer when cancer is not there. Your doctor will use the results of the FNA and other clinical information to determine if further tests or treatment are necessary.
As with any procedure in which the skin is broken (like having your blood drawn), there is always a risk of pain, bleeding, bruising or slight tenderness at the aspiration site. Very rarely, an infection may occur after an FNA. However, the benefits of the FNA far outweigh the risks.
The alternative is to do a surgical biopsy, which is done with a much larger needle or by an operation. Surgery is more invasive, has more complications, and may take a while to schedule. A FNA is simpler, less expensive, has fewer complications and faster.
Generally, you may engage in your normal activities, including eating and drinking before and after the procedure. The only special precaution is to avoid taking anything that would increase bleeding such as aspirin or non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs), such as Advil, Ibuprofen, Motrin, Alieve, fish oil, vitamin E, etc., from about a week before the appointment (or the time your appointment is made), to a few days after the procedure. This may be helpful in limiting any additional bruising from the procedure. Moreover, you may resume normal activities immediately after the procedure.
Depending on what type of lesion (lump) it is and where it is in the body, the actual biopsy takes only a few minutes. However, since the FNA is being performed by a cytopathologist, (Dr. Nadelman), the material is checked immediately under the microscope as you wait, to ensure that there is enough material to make a diagnosis later on. This is done to decrease the chance of having to come back for a repeat FNA because of not enough material. Due to this, the procedure may take up to 45 minutes (per site).
After the biopsy sample has been obtained and you have left the office, all the slides prepared will be thoroughly examined and interpreted by the cytopathologist, Dr. Nadelman. A preliminary report can be telephoned to your doctor shortly after the FNA procedure (often within 24 hours). Because of the detailed evaluation involved and the possibility of additional studies, a final written report may require a few days (2-4 days) to complete, but is usually done in 48 hours. Fine Needle Aspiration (FNA) is a diagnostic part of a complete evaluation of the specific site of concern indicated by your referring doctor. Therefore, the results will be given to your doctor and should be discussed with him or her. If you would like to receive your results directly, in addition, you may make a follow up appointment with Dr. Nadelman. Our goal is to care for you in the best, most efficient, yet personalized manner. If you have any further questions please contact us.
Yes, we accept Medicare and most PPO plans. Contact our office to confirm. 310.789.2046
Serving Patients Across Southern California
Although her office is in Beverly Hills, Dr. Nadelman regularly sees patients from Palmdale, Lancaster, Santa Clarita, and other parts of Los Angeles County. The convenience of her one-stop model makes the trip worthwhile, especially for those who want rapid results and a more personal doctor-patient relationship. Call 310.742.1979 to schedule an appointment today.
Directions from Palmdale to Dr. Nadelman’s Office:
- Take CA 14 South toward Los Angeles.
- Merge onto I 5 South toward Los Angeles.
- Continue onto CA 170 South toward Hollywood, then merge onto US 101 South.
- Keep right to merge onto I 405 South toward Santa Monica.
- Exit at Pico Boulevard and head east.
- Turn left on Beverly Drive. The building is at 1125 S. Beverly Drive.
- Check in at the lobby for Suite 602.
Schedule Your FNA Biopsy Near Palmdale
If you live in Palmdale, California, and need a biopsy, consider the benefits of seeing Dr. Celina Nadelman. With fast scheduling, affordable costs, and expert care, she offers peace of mind during a stressful time.
Contact Dr. Nadelman’s Beverly Hills office today at (310) 702-6701 or request an appointment online.
