ABSTRACT
Purpose@#To investigate the efficacy and safety of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC) after > 10 years of follow-up. @*Materials and Methods@#This study included five patients who underwent RFA to treat PTMCs (five lesions, mean diameter 0.5 cm, range 0.4–0.7 cm) between November 2006 and December 2009. The inclusion criteria were histopathologically confirmed PTMCs, a single PTMC lesion without extrathyroidal extension, no metastasis, and ineligibility or refusal to undergo surgery. RFA was performed by a single radiologist using a radiofrequency generator and an internally cooled electrode. We retrospectively analyzed the procedure-induced complications, serial changes in ablated tumors, recurrence, and local as well as lymph node metastasis based on data obtained from medical records and radiological images. @*Results@#The mean follow-up period was 130.6 months (range 121–159 months). Three patients underwent a single RFA session, and two patients underwent two RFA sessions. We observed no procedure-induced complications. Three tumors completely disappeared after ablation, and ablation of the other two tumors resulted in the formation of a small scar that showed long-term stability (mean duration 16.8 months, range 12–27 months). At the last follow-up, no patient showed recurrence or lymph node metastasis, and serum thyroglobulin levels were within normal limits in all patients. @*Conclusion@#RFA may be effective and safe to treat low-risk PTMC in patients who refuse or are ineligible for surgery.
ABSTRACT
Purpose@#To investigate the efficacy and safety of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC) after > 10 years of follow-up. @*Materials and Methods@#This study included five patients who underwent RFA to treat PTMCs (five lesions, mean diameter 0.5 cm, range 0.4–0.7 cm) between November 2006 and December 2009. The inclusion criteria were histopathologically confirmed PTMCs, a single PTMC lesion without extrathyroidal extension, no metastasis, and ineligibility or refusal to undergo surgery. RFA was performed by a single radiologist using a radiofrequency generator and an internally cooled electrode. We retrospectively analyzed the procedure-induced complications, serial changes in ablated tumors, recurrence, and local as well as lymph node metastasis based on data obtained from medical records and radiological images. @*Results@#The mean follow-up period was 130.6 months (range 121–159 months). Three patients underwent a single RFA session, and two patients underwent two RFA sessions. We observed no procedure-induced complications. Three tumors completely disappeared after ablation, and ablation of the other two tumors resulted in the formation of a small scar that showed long-term stability (mean duration 16.8 months, range 12–27 months). At the last follow-up, no patient showed recurrence or lymph node metastasis, and serum thyroglobulin levels were within normal limits in all patients. @*Conclusion@#RFA may be effective and safe to treat low-risk PTMC in patients who refuse or are ineligible for surgery.
ABSTRACT
PURPOSE@#This study attempts to evaluate the skeletal maturation patterns of the triradiate cartilage (TRC) and the posterior acetabular wall (PA), which can be easily assessed on body computerized tomography (CT). It also examines the effect of gender and age on ossification of both TRC and PA.@*MATERIALS AND METHODS@#This retrospective study included a total of 1324 CT scans for children between the ages of 6 and 16 years. Depending on the extent of ossification in each right or left aspect, determined by the consensus of two observers, the TRC and PA scans were categorized into Grades 4 and 3, respectively.@*RESULTS@#The TRC for boys began to ossify at age 10 and closed completely at 14, while the PA for boys started ossification at age 11 and entirely fused at 13. The ages of ossification center appearance and complete fusion in both TRC and PA for girls were exactly two years earlier than boys. The TRC fused within one year after the closure of the PA.@*CONCLUSION@#The appearance and closure of the TRC and PA ossification centers show predictable patterns of development, appearance and merger earlier in females than in males. The suggestion is that development and morphogenesis of both TRC and PA ossification centers can be adequately assessed by using 3-dimensional body CT.