Fine Needle Aspiration Doctor in San Diego, CA
Our office is located in Los Angeles, but we happily serve patients from San Diego
Discovering an unusual lump can be concerning, but San Diego patients now have access to world-class diagnostic care at Dr. Celina Nadelman’s Beverly Hills office. Dr. Nadelman, a dual-certified cytopathologist and FNA specialist, provides ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration biopsies with exceptional accuracy. Her unique background as both a procedural expert and pathologist means your biopsy is performed and interpreted by the same specialist – a rare advantage that improves diagnostic reliability. Our San Diego clinic offers same-day appointments with results typically available within 24-48 hours, significantly faster than most medical centers.
If you’re looking for a minimally invasive, highly accurate biopsy without delays, reach out to schedule your appointment today.
What Is Fine Needle Aspiration (FNA)?
Fine Needle Aspiration (FNA) is a minimally invasive procedure used to collect cells from a lump or abnormal area for diagnostic purposes. Using a very thin needle—typically between 27 and 23 gauge—a doctor gently extracts a small sample of cells for examination under a microscope. FNA is commonly used to evaluate thyroid nodules, breast lumps, enlarged lymph nodes, and salivary gland issues.
Unlike traditional surgical biopsies, FNA requires no incisions or general anesthesia. It’s performed under local anesthesia, involves little to no discomfort, and most patients can resume their normal routine right after the procedure.
Why Choose Dr. Nadelman for Your FNA Biopsy in San Diego?
San Diego patients trust Dr. Nadelman because she offers:
- Patient-Focused, Fast Care: Same-day or next-day FNA biopsy appointments (no weeks-long delays)
- Faster results: Often within 24-48 hours vs. industry-standard 7-10 days
- Precision diagnostics: Thanks to advanced ultrasound guidance, crucial for small or hard-to-reach lumps.
- Minimally invasive: Approach ensures reliable answers with minimal discomfort—so you can move forward with confidence.
If you have a suspicious lump or nodule, early diagnosis can make all the difference. Dr. Nadelman’s approach is designed to give you answers quickly and with precision.
What Conditions Can FNA Help Diagnose?
Fine Needle Aspiration (FNA) is commonly used to evaluate unexplained lumps or swelling. At Dr. Nadelman’s office, FNA helps provide fast, accurate insight into a variety of conditions, including:
- Thyroid Nodules: FNA is the gold standard for evaluating thyroid nodules, helping determine whether a growth is benign or cancerous.
- Breast Lumps: This procedure can identify whether a breast mass is a cyst, fibroadenoma, or something more concerning.
- Enlarged Lymph Nodes: FNA helps determine whether lymph node swelling is due to infection, inflammation, or malignancy.
- Salivary Gland Masses: Lumps in the parotid or submandibular glands can be safely assessed through FNA without the need for surgery.
- Head and Neck Masses: Ultrasound-guided FNA offers a minimally invasive way to evaluate head and neck lumps, helping patients avoid unnecessary delays or procedures.
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.
Faster, Accurate Results for San Diego, CA Patients
San Diego patients can access Dr. Nadelman’s specialized FNA biopsy services with just a 2-hour drive to Beverly Hills (approximately 120 miles), a worthwhile trip for those seeking her unique dual expertise as both cytopathologist and FNA specialist. Unlike overbooked local providers, her clinic offers same-day/next-day appointments with rapid 24-48 hour results, ultrasound-guided precision, and real-time ROSE evaluation – ensuring faster, more accurate diagnoses for thyroid nodules, lymph nodes, and other concerning masses when timely answers matter most.
Schedule Your Biopsy. No Long Waits, Just Fast Results
Dr. Nadelman’s Beverly Hills office is proud to offer quick and accurate Fine Needle Aspiration services. If your doctor has recommended a biopsy, don’t wait weeks or months for an answer. Dr. Nadelman offers:
- Same-day and next-day appointments available.
- Preliminary results within 24 hours.
- Fast, expert-led diagnosis by a leading cytopathologist.
Call (310) 742-1979 or book online to schedule your FNA biopsy near San Diego, CA today.
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 Sees Patients from San Diego, CA
If you’re in San Diego and need a fast, accurate Fine Needle Aspiration biopsy, Dr. Celina Nadelman offers next-day appointments at her Beverly Hills office. Patients from Southern California trust her expertise, compassionate care, and quick results. If you’ve been advised to get a biopsy, there’s no need to wait. Call 310.742.1979 to schedule your visit today.
How to Get to Dr. Nadelman’s Office from San Diego, CA:
Office Location: 8670 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 200, Beverly Hills, CA 90211
To reach Dr. Nadelman’s office from San Diego:
- Get on I-5 N.
- Follow I-5 N to S Robertson Blvd in Los Angeles. Take exit 6-Robertson Blvd from I-10 W.
- Continue on S Robertson Blvd. Drive to S Beverly Dr, the office is located on the left.
Why Travel from San Diego?
San Diego patients find the 2-hour drive to Dr. Nadelman’s Beverly Hills clinic worthwhile for her rapid FNA biopsies – offering same-day appointments and 24-48 hour results versus the 1-2 week wait at most centers. Her unique dual expertise as both performing physician and interpreting pathologist delivers more accurate diagnosis of thyroid nodules and suspicious masses on the first attempt.
