Combined Treatment with Laser Ablation and Tyrosine-Kinase Inhibitor as A Novel Multimodality Approach to Locally Advanced Thyroid Cancer: A Case Report.

Background: Direct locoregional treatments were recently proposed for the local control of cervical and distant metastasis of thyroid cancer, but data on their use as part of a multimodality approach for primary thyroid tumors are poor. In this feasibility study, laser ablation (LTA) was successfully used for the initial debulking of unresectable radioiodine-refractory thyroid cancer in sequential therapy with Tyrosine-Kinase Inhibitors (TKI).

Case Presentation: A 69-year-old woman underwent partial resection of papillary thyroid cancer with extensive tracheal infiltration.

High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) therapy for benign thyroid nodules: a 3-year retrospective multicenter follow-up study.

Background: Outcomes of high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU), as a non-surgical treatment option for benign symptomatic thyroid nodules, has mainly been based on single-center studies and short-term follow-up. Therefore, we assessed the safety, and long-term efficacy of HIFU in benign thyroid nodules among four centers with expertise in thyroid mini-invasive procedures.

Patients And Methods: Retrospective three year follow-up study in four European centers, treating solid benign thyroid nodules causing pressure symptoms and/or cosmetic concerns.

Inter- and Intraobserver Agreement in the Assessment of Thyroid Nodule Ultrasound Features and Classification Systems: A Blinded Multicenter Study.

Single-center trials demonstrated moderate-substantial level of interobserver agreement in the evaluation of ultrasound (US) features of thyroid nodules. Multicenter studies on US agreement, however, are scanty, and data on intraobserver agreement are poor. Aim of the study was to assess inter- and intraobserver agreement between different thyroid centers and different specialists.

Ultrasound-guided laser ablation for local control of neck recurrences of medullary thyroid cancer. A feasibility study.

Background: Surgery is the standard treatment for cervical metastases of medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) diagnosed after initial surgical treatment. Repeated neck dissections, however, carry an elevated risk of complications, have an adverse impact on the quality of life, and sometimes do not achieve cure of the disease Clinical case: In a patient who had undergone two cervical neck dissections complicated by accessory nerve injury, an US-guided laser ablation (LA) of a lymph node metastasis of MTC was performed. LA was performed with two treatments during a five month period.

Predictive Value of Malignancy of Thyroid Nodule Ultrasound Classification Systems: A Prospective Study.

Context: British Thyroid Association (BTA), American Thyroid Association (ATA), and American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE/ACE/AME) recommend for thyroid nodules an ultrasound (US)-based stratification of risk of malignancy. Aim of our study was to assess the diagnostic accuracy of US classification systems and their reliability for indication to fine-needle aspiration (FNA).

Design: Prospective study on 987 thyroid nodules consecutively referred for FNA.

Percutaneous ultrasound-guided laser ablation is effective for treating selected nodal metastases in papillary thyroid cancer.

Context: Mini-invasive procedures may be useful for control of local neck nodal metastases of papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) in high-risk patients.

Objective: Our objective was to assess the effectiveness and safety of ultrasound (US)-guided laser ablation (LA) for nonsurgical treatment of small-size neck metastases of PTC.

Design And Setting: We conducted a pilot study on a surgically controlled metastasis, followed by a prospective trial with a 12-month follow-up.

Ultrasound-guided laser ablation of incidental papillary thyroid microcarcinoma: a potential therapeutic approach in patients at surgical risk.

Background: Incidental papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC), a frequent clinical problem, is usually associated with a favorable outcome. During long-term follow-up, only a minority of cases show aggressive behavior with either lymph node or distant metastases. Recently, we had an opportunity to evaluate the efficacy of nonsurgical, ultrasound (US)-guided percutaneous laser ablation (PLA) for local treatment of PTMC in an otherwise inoperable patient.

Fabrication and testing of l = 2 optical vortex phase masks for coronography.

In this paper we present the fabrication process and tests of two different types of l = 2 spiral phase plates (SPPs), designed for an Optical Vortex Coronagraph (OVC) in the visible wavelength regime. Each phase mask is realized dividing the spirals area in sectors respectively of 8 and 512 of levels using lithographic nanofabrication approach. The SPPs produces different optical vortices (OVs) with topological charge l that depends on the number of steps and on the wavelength.

Treatment of benign cold thyroid nodules: a randomized clinical trial of percutaneous laser ablation versus levothyroxine therapy or follow-up.

Aim Of The Study: To compare clinical and ultrasound (US) changes induced in cold thyroid nodules by US-guided percutaneous laser ablation (PLA) versus follow-up or levothyroxine (LT4) suppressive therapy.

Methods: 62 patients randomly assigned to a single PLA (Group 1), LT4 (Group 2), or follow-up (Group 3). Entry criteria: euthyroid patients with a solid thyroid nodule >5 mL and benign cytological findings.

Analysis of factors predicting survival in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma treated with percutaneous laser ablation.

Background/aims: The factors which predict the long-term outcome in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma who are treated with percutaneous laser ablation (PLA) are not well established.

Methods: We prospectively analyzed treatment and survival parameters of 148 cirrhotic patients with nonsurgical hepatocellular carcinoma who had undergone PLA at a single institution during an 11-year period.

Results: Single tumors were seen in 129 of 148 (87%) patients, and 2-3 nodules were seen in 19 (13%) patients, for a total of 169 tumors.

Percutaneous laser ablation in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma with small tumors: analysis of factors affecting the achievement of tumor necrosis.

Purpose: To identify the factors that affect the achievement of tumor necrosis with percutaneous laser ablation (PLA) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and tumor size no larger than 4.0 cm.

Materials And Methods: Ultrasound-guided biopsy results were retrospectively studied in 99 lesions (range, 0.

Thyroid tissue: US-guided percutaneous laser thermal ablation.

Purpose: To evaluate in vivo the safety and effectiveness of percutaneous laser thermal ablation (LTA) in the debulking of thyroid lesions.

Materials And Methods: Twenty-five adult patients at poor surgical risk with cold nodules (n = 8), autonomously hyperfunctioning thyroid nodules (n = 16), or anaplastic carcinoma (n = 1) underwent LTA. One to four 21-gauge spinal needles were inserted with ultrasonographic (US) guidance into the thyroid lesions.

Percutaneous ethanol injection treatment in benign thyroid lesions: role and efficacy.

Goal: To establish the role of percutaneous ethanol injection (PEI) treatment in benign thyroid lesions by evaluating: (1) the long-term efficacy and side effects of the treatment, (2) the factors predictive of efficacy of PEI, and (3) the cost effectiveness of the procedure.

Materials And Methods: Fifty-eight recurrent cystic nodules, 95 autonomously functioning nodules (AFTN), and 17 hyperfunctioning nodules causing thyrotoxicosis (toxic nodules) were treated by PEI from 1990 to 1996 in our center. Ultrasound (US) and color flow doppler (CFD) examinations were carried out before and after each treatment.

Risk of malignancy in nonpalpable thyroid nodules: predictive value of ultrasound and color-Doppler features.

The aim of the study was to correlate the sonographic [ultrasound (US)] and color-Doppler (CFD) findings with the results of US-guided fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNA) and of pathologic staging of resected carcinomas to establish: 1) the relative importance of US features as risk factors of malignancy; and 2) a cost-effective management of nonpalpable thyroid nodules. Four hundred ninety-four consecutive patients with nonpalpable thyroid nodules (8-15 mm) were evaluated by US, CFD, and US-FNA. Ninety-two patients with inadequate cytology were excluded from the study.