Short summary

This project investigates the effect of laser treatment on benign thyroid nodules. The normal treatment is surgery. We find it interesting to investigate which patients will benefit more from laser treatment. To find the group of patients who benefit from laser treatment, medical records are reviewed of patients who have been in contact with the outpatient clinic. We seek to identify parameters which are important for the effect of treatment, and optimize the visitation in future patients.

Rationale

In Denmark thyroid nodules are common with 17,3 % of the adult population having at least one nodule measuring above 1 cm.

The most common treatment of ultrasonographically verified, scintigraphically cold, cytologically benign nodules is surgical hemithyroidectomy. During the past three decades minimal invasive ultrasound guided procedures such as Radiofrequency ablation (RFA), laser ablation (LA) and Percutaneous ethanol injection (PEI) have been introduced. Studies have shown that LA of benign thyroid nodules reduces nodule volume and thereby provides a clinically relevant alternative to surgical intervention in selected patients with benign nodular thyroid disease.

We aim to evaluate the efficacy of LA on goiter symptoms, and nodule volume reduction. The hypothesis beeing that some patients would benefit from LA as a first line of treatment rather than surgery based on certain clinical characteristics.

Description of the cohort

This study is a cohort study including all patients registered with a contact to the LA outpatient clinic, including all patients evaluated for LA treatment between the 1st of January 2015 and 1st of August 2021.

Data and biological material

Data from patient journals.

Collaborating researchers and departments

Department of Endocrinology, OUH

• Lars Folkestad

Department of ENT, OUH

• Helle Døssing