Efficacy of Percutaneous Thermal Ablation of Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma

Percutaneous thermoablation (PTA) has become an increasingly used option in the interventional treatment of symptomatic, cytologic and sonographic benign solid thyroid gland disease. Currently, there is no high-level evidence of treatment for differentiated thyroid cancer by means of PTA. Surgery is a standard treatment for primary and also for recurrent thyroid cancer, followed by radioactive iodine and thyroid hormone therapy. PTA, however, can be used in patients at high-risk and in patients who refuse to undergo repeated surgery. The Task Force Committee of the Korean Society of Thyroid Radiology has developed recommendations for the optimal use of PTA for thyroid nodules. However, there are still several questions on safe distance to the laryngeal nerves, no data on duration of PTA application around the nerves, no intra-procedure assessment of laryngeal nerves function and position. Future experimental studies are required.