Ultrasound-guided radiofrequency ablation (RFA) of benign symptomatic thyroid nodules - initial UK experience

To report on the use of RFA for the treatment of symptomatic benign and autonomously functioning thyroid nodules (AFTNs) in the first reported UK cohort.

Patients treated over a 19-month period were retrospectively reviewed. Nodules were assessed pre-treatment and at 1 and 6 months post-treatment. Nodule volume was calculated and cosmetic assessment and thyroid-related quality of life (QoL) scores were recorded at each time point. Thyroid function tests (TFTs) were recorded at all three time points for patients with ATFNs.

46 patients with 50 nodules were treated with no complications. The mean volume reduction 1-month post-treatment was 53 +- 14.9 % ( p < 0.0001). Six month data was available for 31 nodules and showed a mean 67 +- 17.6% vol reduction ( p < 0.0001). Five of the six patients with ATFNs were euthyroid at 1-month post-procedure. 6-month data was available on three of these patients, and all remained euthyroid. The thyroid-related QoL and cosmetic scores also improved. Data from 23 patients was available pre-treatment and at 6 months post-treatment and there was a significant ( p < 0.0001) reduction in QoL score. Pre-treatment, 82 % of nodules were readily visible at rest, decreasing to 12.5 % 6 months after treatment ( p < 0.0001).

Results align with published data suggesting that RFA is effective at reducing nodule volume and at treating ATFNs and leads to improvement in thyroid-related QoL and cosmetic scores.

This early UK experience demonstrates that day-case radiofrequency ablation can provide safe and effective treatment of benign symptomatic thyroid nodules.