Sonographic Evolution and Pathologic Findings of Papillary Thyroid Cancer After Radiofrequency Ablation: A Five-Year Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors' conclusion
US-guided RFA is an effective treatment for small low-risk PTC. Tumor disappearance on US after RFA may suggest an excellent prognosis and confirm complete ablation of the macroscopic tumor, but this sonographic finding is generally late and requires histological confirmation.
Study context
- Population
- Patients with unifocal T1N0M0 papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) who underwent radiofrequency ablation (RFA) between May 2014 and August 2021, with single ablation zone core-needle biopsy (CNB) and regular ultrasound (US)/contrast-enhanced US follow-up
- Participants
- 382 patients
- Outcome
- Technical efficacy: tumor disappearance by imaging follow-up with pathologically confirmed absence of tumor cells in the ablation zone
Methodological detailsCNB of ablation zone central, peripheral and surrounding parenchyma; LT4 to keep TSH 0.5-2 mU/L if TSH >2 mU/L
- CNB of ablation zone central, peripheral and surrounding parenchyma; LT4 to keep TSH 0.5-2 mU/L if TSH >2 mU/L
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Overall incidence of persistent disease
3.9%
15/382
Persistent disease, T1a
2.9%
Persistent disease, T1b
12.2%
Technical efficacy rate
96.1%
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Risk factors for persistent disease
- Tumor size
- P = 0.03
- Subcapsular location
- P = 0.04
Technical success rate
- Technical success rate
- 100%
Tumor disappearance on US without re-emergence, among ablation zones with benign CNB
- Tumor disappearance among 367 benign-CNB ablation zones
- 336 (91.6%)
Factors associated with tumor disappearance
- Male sex
- P = 0.006
- Age <40 years
- P = 0.003
- T1a tumor
- P < 0.01
- Energy per milliliter
- P < 0.03
Original publication
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →