American Thyroid Association statement on preoperative imaging for thyroid cancer surgery
Michael W Yeh1, Andrew J Bauer, Victor A Bernet
11 Section of Endocrine Surgery, UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine , Los Angeles, California.
Thyroid : Official Journal of the American Thyroid Association
|September 5, 2014
Summary
Ultrasound is the primary imaging tool for thyroid cancer surgery planning, assessing tumors and lymph nodes. Other imaging like CT, MRI, and PET-CT can aid in specific cases for better surgical outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Radiology
- Surgical Planning
Background:
- Preoperative imaging is crucial for successful thyroid cancer surgery.
- Accurate imaging ensures complete tumor and lymph node clearance.
- This review focuses on optimal imaging for initial and revision thyroid cancer surgery.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the literature on imaging modalities for thyroid cancer surgery.
- To determine the most appropriate imaging studies for surgical planning.
- To provide recommendations for initial and revision surgery.
Main Methods:
- Literature review and expert consensus.
- Examination of available imaging studies for thyroid cancer.
- Analysis of imaging characteristics for tumor and lymph node evaluation.
Main Results:
- Ultrasound is the most important imaging modality for preoperative evaluation.
- Ultrasound assesses primary tumors and cervical lymph nodes.
- Specific ultrasound features (size, shape, echogenicity, vascularity) identify positive lymph nodes.
Conclusions:
- Routine ultrasound is recommended for thyroid cancer surgical planning.
- Ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration can guide surgical extent.
- CT, MRI, and PET-CT have roles in select cases, particularly for recurrent disease.
