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Safety and efficacy of microwave ablation for symptomatic benign thyroid nodules in children

  • Head and Neck
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Abstract

Objective

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of microwave ablation (MWA) for the treatment of symptomatic benign thyroid nodules in children.

Methods

A retrospective study of MWA for the treatment of 34 symptomatic benign thyroid nodules in 25 children was conducted. Volume reduction ratio (VRR), technique efficacy, symptom score, cosmetic score, and thyroid function were used to evaluate the efficacy of the technique. The associated complications and side effects were recorded.

Results

The participants were followed for at least 6 months (median 12 months, range 6–48 months). After MWA treatment, the volumes of the targeted nodules decreased gradually (median volume 5.86 mL before MWA and 0.34 mL at the final follow-up assessment), the VRR achieved was up to 85.03% at the final follow-up assessment, and the technical efficacy at this time was 91.2%. The subjective and objective nodule-related symptoms were also ameliorated. The circulating hormone concentrations reflecting thyroid function remained within their normal ranges in all the participants after one month of follow-up. The procedure had no major complications.

Conclusions

MWA seems to be an effective and safe technique for the treatment of symptomatic benign thyroid nodules in pediatric patients.

Clinical relevance statement

Microwave ablation is a safe and effective method to treat symptomatic benign thyroid nodules in pediatric patients. This treatment may be selected if the patient or parents are not suitable or refuse to undergo surgery.

Key Points

• Microwave ablation is effective in reducing the volume of benign thyroid nodules and ameliorating nodule-related symptoms in pediatric patients.

• Microwave ablation is a safe method in children, with low complications.

• Microwave ablation does not affect the circulating thyroid hormone concentrations of children.

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Abbreviations

CEUS:

Contrast-enhanced ultrasound

CNB:

Core needle biopsy

FNA:

Fine-needle aspiration

FT3:

Free triiodothyronine

FT4:

Free thyroxine

LA:

Laser ablation

MDT:

Multidisciplinary team

MWA:

Microwave ablation

RFA:

Radiofrequency ablation

TSH:

Thyroid-stimulating hormone

TT3:

Total triiodothyronine

TT4:

Total thyroxine

US:

Ultrasound

VRR:

Volume reduction ratio

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Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge Jiabin Wan for help with data collection.

Funding

The authors state that this work has not received any funding.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Ultrasound, National Center for Children’s Health (Beijing), Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, No. 56, Nanlishi Road, Xicheng District, Beijing, 100045, China

    Wenyuan Shi, Wenjia Cai, Yuanjin Gao, Rui Yang & Qinglin Liu

  2. Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, National Center for Children’s Health (Beijing), Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, No. 56, Nanlishi Road, Xicheng District, Beijing, 100045, China

    Shengcai Wang, Yuanhu Liu & Xin Ni

  3. Department of Radiology, National Center for Children’s Health (Beijing), Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, No. 56, Nanlishi Road, Xicheng District, Beijing, 100045, China

    Yun Peng

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  1. Wenyuan Shi
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Xin Ni.

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Guarantor

The scientific guarantor of this publication is Xin Ni.

Conflict of interest

The authors of this manuscript declare no relationships with any companies, whose products or services may be related to the subject matter of the article.

Statistics and biometry

No complex statistical methods were necessary for this paper.

Informed consent

Written informed consent was obtained from all subjects (patients) or their guardians in this study.

Ethical approval

Institutional Review Board approval was obtained from the Ethics Committee of Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University.

Study subjects or cohorts overlap

No subjects or cohorts have been previously reported.

Methodology

• Retrospective

• Observational

• Performed at one institution

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Cite this article

Shi, W., Cai, W., Wang, S. et al. Safety and efficacy of microwave ablation for symptomatic benign thyroid nodules in children. Eur Radiol (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-023-10282-2

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