Thyroid Ablation. An International Guide

Minimally invasive ultrasound (US)-guided thyroid treatment modalities are becoming effective and safe alternatives to classic surgeries in patients with benign thyroid cysts, solid nonfunctioning benign thyroid nodules that grow or become symptomatic, and in solid hyper-functioning nodules. In addition, they have an effective role in the management of primary micropapillary tumors or recurrent thyroid cancers in patients not suitable for surgery or patients who decline it.

The aim of this international guide on thyroid ablative procedures is to enhance knowledge on thyroid ultrasound-guided, thermal ablative techniques as well as to thoroughly inform readers on the diagnosis, indications, technologies and techniques used for thyroid ablation, side effects, international guidelines and future directions. In this guide, first-class experts from diverse countries share their knowledge on the state of the art of available ultrasound-guided thyroid minimally invasive procedures. The most popular system for the thyroid gland is radiofrequency ablation (RFA), hence a special focus is on RFA, though other technologies have been proposed for thyroid ablation and are presented in the book. Advantages and disadvantages of each technology and techniques are discussed. This guide is particularly rich in illustrations and videos, as thyroid ablative therapies are image-guided.