AbstractThyroid nodules and cysts are frequently diagnosed in Germany with a
prevalence of about 20% in young adults reaching up to 70%
in older adults. Surgery is the standard treatment of symptomatic nodules,
nodules with suspicion of malignancy and thyroid cancer. Radioiodine
treatment is applied for autonomously functioning nodules. During the last
years new non-surgical and non-radioiodine techniques have been introduced
to treat thyroid nodules. These techniques include
ethanol/polidocanol treatment, radiofrequency, microwave, and laser
ablation, and high frequency ultrasound ablation. A significant reduction in
nodule size could be documented for these techniques in several studies, but
long-term outcome data are missing. Until now, there is no general consensus
regarding the appropriate indications for these methods. For this reason,
the Thyroid Section (German Society for Endocrinology), the Thyroid Working
Committee (German Society for Nuclear Medicine), and the German Association
of Endocrine Surgeons (CAEK) for the German Society of General and Visceral
Surgery (DGAV) reviewed the respective literature, discussed the pro and
cons and developed a consensus statement and recommendation to help
physicians and patients in their decision making.
EVALUATION OF FACTORS AFFECTING THE LONG-TERM RESULTS OF MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING GUIDED FOCUSED ULTRASOUND ABLATION OF UTERINE FIBROIDS
