Abstract
Thyroid radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a minimally invasive procedure that can be
used to treat patients with benign thyroid nodules and is a good alternative to thyroidectomy
or radioactive iodine. Thyroid RFA is commonly performed with local lidocaine or minimal/moderate
sedation and has a minimal risk profile and few side effects. The efficacy of thyroid
RFA has been well documented in the literature, with a volume reduction rate of 67
to 75% at 1 year. Another emerging technique for nodule size reduction is thyroid
artery embolization which is a minimally invasive procedure that may be performed
in patients with nodular goiters, particularly with substernal thyroid nodule extension,
and who are either poor surgical candidates or do not want surgery. This article reviews
thyroid RFA, focusing on the relevant preprocedural, procedural, and postprocedural
imaging, as well as a discussion on the emerging role of thyroid artery embolization.
Keywords
thyroid radiofrequency ablation - thyroid artery embolization - hyperfunctioning thyroid
nodule - thyroid fine needle aspiration - TI-RADS - interventional radiology
