Percutaneous injection of ethanol for thyroid nodule treatment: a comparative study.

OBJECTIVE: Percutaneous ethanol injection (PEI) is an alternative to surgery for the treatment of thyroid nodules (TNs). However, size reductions of treated (TTNs) and untreated TN (UTNs) have not been compared. Volumetric reductions in TTNs with PEI were evaluated by comparing TTNs and UTNs in the same patient, and independent variables predicting good post-PEI outcomes were analyzed. METHODS: Overall, 282 patients with multinodular goiters were selected. Two nodules located in different lobes were compared for common disease behaviors. Overall, 150 nodules were selected from 75 patients (6 M: 69 F) with a mean age of 50.1 ± 17.4 years. This prospective nonrandomized intervention study prioritized treating TNs of greater volume or single hyperfunctioning TNs. A single observer experienced in PEI and an ultrasound specialist performed the interventions. RESULTS: TTNs (mean volume: 14.8 ± 16.2 mL) were reduced by 72.6 ± 27.3% of their initial volume, while UTNs increased by a mean of 365.7 ± 1.403.8% (p < 0.00001). The patients underwent a mean of 4.0 ± 3.1 outpatient PEI sessions without relevant complications. Logistic regression analysis showed that the magnitude of the PEI induced reduction was associated with the number of treatment sessions (p = 0.03, CI [1.1-38.2]) and not with ultrasonographic characteristics of the nodules. Each PEI session increased the rate of TN reduction by a factor of 6.7. CONCLUSION: PEI is a well-tolerated outpatient procedure that effectively reduces the volume of TNs and is noticeably superior to conservative treatment for all ultrasonographic classifications.

Is there any association between Hashimoto's thyroiditis and thyroid cancer? A retrospective data analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association between Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) and papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The patients were evaluated by ultrasonography-guided fine needle aspiration cytology. Typical cytopathological aspects and/or classical histopathological findings were taken into consideration in the diagnosis of HT, and only histopathological results were considered in the diagnosis of PTC. RESULTS: Among 1,049 patients with multi- or uninodular goiter (903 women and 146 men), 173 (16.5%) had cytopathological features of thyroiditis. Thirty-three (67.4%) out of the 49 operated patients had PTC, 9 (27.3%) of them with histopathological features of HT. Five (31.3%) out of the 16 patients with non-malignant disease also had HT. In the groups with HT, PTC, and PCT+HT, the female prevalence rate was 100%, 91.6%, and 77.8%, respectively. Mean age was 41.5, 43.3, and 48.5 years, respectively. No association was observed between the two diseases in the present study where HT occurred in 31.1% of the benign cases and in 27.3% of malignant cases (p = 0.8). CONCLUSION: In spite of the absence of association between HT and PCT, the possibility of malignancy in HT should always be considered because of the coexistence of the two diseases already reported in the literature.

OBJETIVO: Avaliar a associação entre tireoidite de Hashimoto (TH) e carcinoma papilífero da tireoide (CPT). MATERIAIS E MÉTODOS: Pacientes foram avaliados por punção aspirativa guiada pela ultrassonografia. Para TH consideraram-se aspectos característicos da citopatologia e/ou achados histopatológicos clássicos. O diagnóstico de CPT foi considerado apenas pela histopatologia. RESULTADOS: De 1.049 pacientes portadores de bócios uni-multinodulares (903 femininos e 146 masculinos), 173 (16,5%) tinham quadro citopatológico de tireoidite. Dos 49 pacientes operados, 33 (67,4%) revelaram CPT, dos quais 9 (27,3%) tinham a glândula com quadro histopatológico de TH. Dos 16 pacientes sem malignidade, 5 (31,3%) exibiam também TH. Nos grupos TH, CPT e CPT+TH, a proporção de acometimento do gênero feminino foi, respectivamente, 100%, 91,6% e 77,8%. A distribuição da média da idade (anos) nos três grupos foi 41,5, 43,3 e 48,5. Não houve associação entre as duas doenças, neste estudo, em que a TH esteve presente em 31,3% dos casos benignos e em 27,3% dos casos malignos (p = 0,8). CONCLUSÃO: Não houve associação entre TH e CPT, mas a possibilidade de malignidade em TH deve ser sempre lembrada em razão da concomitância das duas doenças, já revelada na literatura.