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Abstract
Purpose:
The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and volume reduction of ultrasonography-guided radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for benign thyroid nodules.
Methods:
Twelve benign thyroid nodules in 11 euthyroid patients underwent RFA between January 2010 and December 2010. RFA was carried out using an internally cooled electrode under local anesthesia. Thyroid nodule volume was evaluated before RFA and during follow-up.
Results:
The mean initial volume was 8.9 ml (0.4∼33.0 ml). After RFA, the mean volume was decreased to 3.6 ml (0.1 ∼17.0 ml) with statiscal significance (P=0.003). The mean volume reduction rate was 64.6% (25.5∼95.4%). Most patients complained of pain during or after RFA, but the pain was relieved with oral analgesics. There was vocal cord palsy in one patient, who recovered one month after RFA.
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Table 1.
The changes in volume before and after radiofrequency ablation
Fig. 1
(A) 40-year-old woman (number 3 case) had a solid nodule in the right lobe of her thyroid gland. An ultrasonographic examination showed a mainly huge mixed echoic nodule (arrow), and the volume of index nodule was approximately 12.3 ml. (B) On the Doppler study, slightly increased vascularity in the nodule was also noted (arrow). (C) During the procedure, an internally cooled electrode was inserted into the thyroid nodule. Multiple echogenic micro-bubbles (arrow) around the electrode tip were noted. (D) Ten months after ablation, the volume of the nodule decreased to 6.5 ml.
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