[Alcohol sclerotherapy for benign solitary thyroid nodules]

Area of Science:

• Endocrinology
• Interventional Radiology
• Oncology

Background:

• New diagnostic methods improve solitary thyroid nodule evaluation, differentiating malignant from benign lesions.
• Therapeutic options beyond surgery are now possible for thyroid nodules.
• Percutaneous alcohol sclerotherapy (PSA) is a key non-surgical treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy and safety of percutaneous alcohol sclerotherapy (PSA) for thyroid nodules and cysts.
• To assess PSA's role in treating autonomous and cystic thyroid lesions.
• To document the outcomes and complications of PSA in thyroid treatment.

Main Methods:

• PSA involves injecting sterile alcohol into thyroid nodules under ultrasonographic guidance.
• The procedure is specifically applied to thyroid cysts and autonomous thyroid nodules.
• Patient outcomes, nodule volume changes, and thyroid function tests (FT3, FT4, TSH) are monitored.

Main Results:

• PSA achieves permanent remission for most thyroid cysts.
• Thyroid nodule volume decreases by 85-100% after PSA.
• Normalization of serum FT3, FT4, and TSH levels occurs in "toxic" and "pretoxic" nodules.
• Scintigraphy shows recovery of extranodular uptake and effacement of hyperactive areas.

Conclusions:

• PSA is a highly effective treatment for thyroid cysts and autonomous nodules.
• The procedure leads to significant nodule volume reduction and functional normalization.
• Observed complications like pain, hematoma, fever, tachycardia, and dysphonia are generally mild and transient.