Treatment of Benign Thyroid Nodules: Comparison of Surgery with Radiofrequency Ablation

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Figure.
A 50-year-old woman with left-neck discomfort. A, Before treatment, a 3-cm solid, left thyroid nodule is evident. B, During the RF ablation, the electrode (arrows) is placed within the nodule. C, Six months after RF ablation, the treated nodule (arrows) has decreased considerably in size and measures only 8 mm.

Table 1:

Demographic characteristics of the experimental subjects

	Surgery (n = 200)	RFA (n = 200)	P Value
Mean age (yr) (range)	52.4 ± 13.9 (23–78)	43.8 ± 12.7 (15–84)	.76
Sex (M/F)	46:154	35:165	.89
Index nodules	403	375
Mean diameter (cm)	4.1 ± 3.2	3.4 ± 3.7	.79
Mean volume (mL)	5.9 ± 6.4	5.4 ± 7.1	.88
No. of nodules (single/multiple)	49:151	62:138	.147

Table 2:

Changes in nodule volume and percentage volume reduction before and after RFA

Period	No. of Nodules	Mean Volume (mL)	% Volume Reduction^{^a}	P Value^{^b}
Before treatment	375	5.4 ± 7.1
1 mo	375	3.1 ± 4.4	37.5 ± 43.4	.030
3 mo	301	2.1 ± 3.0	61.3 ± 37.6	.025
6 mo	247	1.2 ± 1.9	74.6 ± 23.3	.009
12 mo	194	0.4 ± 0.7	84.8 ± 17.1	.002

↵a Note that “% Volume Reduction” represents the proportion of residual volume compared with the index nodule volume.
↵b P value represents a comparison of before treatment with each follow-up assessment.

Table 3:

Overall comparison of surgery versus RFA

↵a “Residue” is defined as no complicated treatment in single or multiple nodules.
↵b “Recurrence” is defined as the appearance of a new goiter after treatment.