Fine Needle Aspiration Doctor in Oceanside, CA
Waiting weeks for a biopsy can be overwhelming and stressful. If you’ve been told you need a biopsy for a lump or mass in your thyroid, breast, lymph nodes, or salivary glands, you should not have to wait for answers. At Dr. Celina Nadelman’s office in Beverly Hills, patients from Oceanside and surrounding areas receive fast, expert diagnostic care without delay.
Dr. Nadelman is a board certified cytopathologist, meaning she not only performs every fine needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy herself, but she also interprets the results in her on site laboratory. Most patients receive preliminary results within 24 hours of their procedure. No crowded hospital systems. No separate bills. Just streamlined, personalized care and one expert from start to finish.
What Is Fine Needle Aspiration (FNA) in Oceanside?
Fine Needle Aspiration (FNA) is a minimally invasive procedure used to collect cells from abnormal lumps or masses. Using a thin needle and ultrasound guidance, Dr. Nadelman extracts a sample of cells, which she then evaluates under a microscope in her laboratory.
This technique is highly effective for diagnosing:
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Thyroid nodules
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Breast lumps or cysts
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Swollen lymph nodes
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Salivary gland masses
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Soft tissue lumps
FNA is often preferred over surgical biopsies because it is faster, less invasive, and has minimal recovery time. It can typically be completed in less than 30 minutes with local anesthesia only.
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.
Why Choose Dr. Nadelman for Your FNA Biopsy
Dr. Nadelman is one of the few physicians in California who is both a practicing cytopathologist and an interventional biopsy specialist. This unique combination ensures a higher level of diagnostic accuracy and efficiency for every patient.
Unlike hospital systems where a biopsy may be performed by one person and analyzed by another, Dr. Nadelman provides comprehensive care from beginning to end. Her office includes everything needed for the procedure, including diagnostic ultrasound, on-site lab services, and patient consultation.
Additional benefits of choosing Dr. Nadelman:
- Preliminary results within 24 hours in most cases
- One bill covering both the biopsy and pathology
- Ultrasound-guided and palpation-guided FNA
- No general anesthesia or surgical suite required
- Most PPO insurances and Medicare accepted
- Calm, private setting designed for patient comfort
- Personalized consultations that prioritize your concerns
Conditions Diagnosed with FNA
Dr. Nadelman performs FNA biopsies for a wide range of conditions affecting the thyroid, breast, neck, and lymphatic system. These include:
- Thyroid cancer vs. benign nodules
- Fibroadenomas and breast cysts
- Enlarged or abnormal lymph nodes
- Parotid and submandibular gland masses
- Soft tissue tumors or unknown growths
Each biopsy is carefully evaluated in her on-site lab, where Dr. Nadelman combines clinical insight with cellular-level analysis to deliver an accurate diagnosis.
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
Dr. Nadelman Serves Patients from Oceanside, California
If you are located in Oceanside and have been advised to get a biopsy, you do not need to wait weeks or navigate complicated hospital systems. Dr. Celina Nadelman provides fast, expert FNA services just a few hours away in Beverly Hills. With next-day appointments and one-on-one care, patients from Oceanside choose her for clarity, compassion, and confidence in their diagnosis. Call 310.742.1979 to schedule an appointment today.
How to Get to Dr. Nadelman’s Office from Oceanside:
Office Address: 8670 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 200, Beverly Hills, CA 90211
Driving directions:
- Take I-5 North toward Los Angeles
- Merge onto I-405 North
- Exit Wilshire Boulevard East
- Continue approximately 4 miles to Beverly Hills
- Dr. Nadelman’s office will be on your right
Whether you are coming from downtown Oceanside or surrounding areas, our office staff is happy to help you plan your visit and schedule your consultation.
Next Day Appointments for Fine Needle Aspiration Biopsies Near Oceanside
At many large medical centers, biopsy wait times can stretch for weeks. That is not the case with Dr. Nadelman. Her clinic is built around fast, accessible care with next-day appointments available for most patients. If you need urgent answers or are seeking a second opinion, her office provides the speed and accuracy you need, often within 24 hours.
The entire procedure, including ultrasound evaluation, consultation, biopsy, and lab analysis, takes place under one roof. That means one visit, one doctor, and one clear path forward.
