A 49-year-old female patient presents with an incidentally d…
A 49-year-old female patient presents with an incidentally discovered 2 cm left thyroid nodule identified during a routine pre-employment examination. The patient reports no symptoms of dysphonia, dysphagia, or dyspnea. She has no family history of endocrine malignancies nor any history of exposure to ionizing radiation. On physical examination, there is no evidence of palpable cervical lymphadenopathy. The patient inquires about the subsequent steps in diagnostic evaluation and expresses concern regarding the potential for malignancy. What is the most appropriate next step?