Long-term Follow-up Sonography of Benign Cystic Thyroid Nodules after a Percutaneous Ethanol Injection: The Incidence of Malignancy-mimicking Nodules.
10.3348/jkrs.2008.58.1.21
- Author:
Ji Sung PARK
1
;
Dong Wook KIM
;
Choong Ki EUN
;
Seok Jin CHOI
;
Myung Ho RHO
Author Information
1. Department of Radiology, Busan Paik Hospital, Inje University School of Medicine, Busan, South Korea. kim_dongwook@yahoo.com
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Thyroid nodule;
Ethanol sclerotherapy;
Ultrasonography;
Sclerotherapy
- MeSH:
Biopsy;
Ethanol;
Follow-Up Studies;
Humans;
Hydrazines;
Incidence;
Sclerotherapy;
Thyroid Gland;
Thyroid Nodule
- From:Journal of the Korean Radiological Society
2008;58(1):21-28
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
PURPOSE: To evaluate the incidence of malignancy-mimicking sclerosed thyroid nodules, from long-term follow-up ultrasonography (US) after an US-guided percutaneous ethanol injection (PEI). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We examined 86 benign cystic thyroid nodules from 80 patients. The nodules were classified into two groups based on whether an aspiration (Group A, n=26) or non-aspiration (Group B, n=60) of infused ethanol was performed. The final follow-up US over 12 months was performed in all patients. RESULTS: Of the 86 nodules, the cystic portion of 82 (95.3%) cases, from 76 patients, completely disappeared subsequent to the first follow-up US (Group A, n=24, Group B, n=58) (Chi-square test, p>0.05). Moreover, 46 sclerosed thyroid nodules showed two or more of the 'five sonographic criteria' upon a follow-up US (Group A, n=13, 50.0%, Group B, n=32, 53.3%). A higher ratio of the cystic portion of the nodules was associated with a higher incidence of the 'five sonographic criteria' for malignancies detected via a follow-up US (p<0.01; Student's t-test). CONCLUSION: For the long-term follow-up US, the 'five sonographic criteria' were observed in half the patients who received US-guided PEI. Also, by acknowledging the possibility that sonographic findings mimic a malignancy, since the sclerosed thyroid nodule, patients may avoid an unnecessary biopsy.
