Radiological and surgical management of thyroid neoplasms

Recent advances in the radiological diagnosis in thyroid neoplasms have been achieved by high-resolution ultrasonography and color-Doppler, and the ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy and ultrasound-guided percutaneous ethanol injection therapy have been developed on the basis of these modalities. Ultrasonography and ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy have made minimally invasive thyroid surgery possible. The surgical procedures are classified into three main categories according to the approach, and each approach has its own advantages and disadvantages. Surgeons have to select the most suitable approach from one of these categories of approaches for each patient with a thyroid neoplasm.