Ethanol ablation of thyroid cysts in the young with a focus on efficacy and quality of life

Objective

Ultrasound-guided percutaneous ethanol injection therapy (US-PEIT) is used in patients with recurrent symptomatic thyroid cysts as a credible alternative to surgery. Young patients commonly do not wish to undergo surgery and prefer ethanol ablation, if available. The effect of this approach on quality of life is an essential factor in deciding on the treatment options, especially in the young with a long life expectancy and no comorbidity.

Methods

We performed US-PEIT in a cohort of young patients, 15-30 years, from 2015 to 2020. The patients' general quality of life (QoL), self-reported compression symptoms and neck appearance were evaluated.

Results

The cohort comprised 59 patients with 63 cysts, more women than men, with a mean age of 23.8 years. About 1.5 mL of injected alcohol were needed to reach a 90.7% mean cyst volume reduction ratio in 12 months. The method did not fail in any of the patients; a single US-PEIT session was undertaken in 46% of them. The procedure significantly improved each of the patients' symptoms with a significant total score difference (P < 0.001). The total symptom score correlated with the initial cyst volume (P = 0.002; r = 0.395). The mean QoL score by SF-36 6 months after the last US-PEIT was significantly different for physical component summary 56.5 (P < 0.001) but not different for mental component summary 47.7 (P = 0.125), compared to age-corresponding norms.

Conclusions

US-PEIT is a safe and effective method for the young, leading to improvements in cosmetic and subjective complaints, and should also be considered as first-line treatment in the young.

Height and Active Arterial Wall Thickening in Relation to Thyroid Cysts Status among Elderly Japanese: A Prospective Study

Height is inversely associated with inflammation that stimulates endothelial repair. In our previous study involving elderly men aged 60-69 years, we found that active arterial wall thickening, which is known as the process of endothelial repair, requires CD34-positive cells. As thyroid hormone regulates CD34-positive cell production and as the absence of thyroid cysts might indicate latent damage in the thyroid, the status of thyroid cysts possibly influences the association between height and active arterial wall thickening. We conducted a 2-year follow-up study of Japanese aged 60-69 years. For participants with thyroid cysts, height was significantly inversely associated with active arterial wall thickening (thyroid function and baseline CIMT adjusted odds ratio of active arterial wall thickening for one increment of standard deviation of height (5.7 cm for men and 4.8 cm for women), 0.66 [0.49, 0.89]), while for those without thyroid cysts, a positive tendency between the two parameters was observed (1.19 [0.96, 1.50]). An inverse association between height and active arterial wall thickening was observed only for elderly participants with thyroid cysts possibly because of a supportive role of thyroid hormone, as the absence of thyroid cysts might indicate latent damage in the thyroid.

Pseudo-pheochromocytoma due to obstructive sleep apnea: a case report

SUMMARY

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a condition of intermittent nocturnal upper airway obstruction. OSA increases sympathetic drive which may result in clinical and biochemical features suggestive of pheochromocytoma. We present the case of a 65-year-old male with a 2.9-cm left adrenal incidentaloma on CT, hypertension, symptoms of headache, anxiety and diaphoresis, and persistently elevated 24-h urine norepinephrine (initially 818 nmol/day (89-470)) and normetanephrine (initially 11.2 µmol/day (0.6-2.7)). He was started on prazosin and underwent left adrenalectomy. Pathology revealed an adrenal corticoadenoma with no evidence of pheochromocytoma. Over the next 2 years, urine norepinephrine and normetanephrine remained significantly elevated with no MIBG avid disease. Years later, he was diagnosed with severe OSA and treated with continuous positive airway pressure. Urine testing done once OSA was well controlled revealed complete normalization of urine norepinephrine and normetanephrine with substantial symptom improvement. It was concluded that the patient never had a pheochromocytoma but rather an adrenal adenoma with biochemistry and symptoms suggestive of pheochromocytoma due to untreated severe OSA. Pseudo-pheochromocytoma is a rare presentation of OSA and should be considered on the differential of elevated urine catecholamines and metanephrines in the right clinical setting.

LEARNING POINTS

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common condition among adults. OSA may rarely present as pseudo-pheochromocytoma with symptoms of pallor, palpitations, perspiration, headache, or anxiety. OSA should be considered on the differential of elevated urine catecholamines and metanephrines, especially in patients with negative metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) scan results.

Pediatric toxic polycystic thyroid

BACKGROUND

Polycystic thyroid disease (PCTD) is a rare condition and has been described in adults in the setting of subclinical and clinical hypothyroidism. We present the first known case of a pediatric patient with diffuse macrocystic degeneration of the thyroid.

CLINICAL PRESENTATION

A 6-year-old previously healthy patient was evaluated after presenting with a 16-month history of an enlarging polycystic thyroid and hyperthyroidism. Markers of autoimmune thyroid disease including thyroid stimulating immunoglobulin (TSI), thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) receptor antibody, thyroid peroxidase antibody and thyroglobulin antibody were negative. No family history of benign or malignant thyroid or cystic disease was present. The patient underwent a total thyroidectomy without perioperative complication. She remains euthyroid with thyroid hormone replacement therapy.

SUMMARY

To our knowledge, this is the first report of PCTD in the pediatric population associated with hyperthyroidism without evidence of autoimmune disease. Somatic activating thyrotropin-receptor gene mutations are known to cause non-autoimmune hyperthyroidism in children, however it is unknown if similar mechanisms are responsible for pediatric PCTD.

CONCLUSIONS

Polycystic thyroid degeneration can occur in children and may result in a hyperthyroid state.

Endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration for thyroid cyst therapy: A case report

Endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) is of limited usefulness for diagnosing thyroid disease, and few studies have reported its use in diagnosing and treating thyroid cysts. The present study investigated a unique case of diagnosis and treatment of a thyroid cyst by EBUS-TBNA. A 67-year-old male presented with back pain. Positron emission tomography/computed tomography scanning revealed low-density signals in the right lobe of the thyroid. Needle aspiration biopsies and drainage at this site was performed, and EBUS was used for guidance in diagnosing the thyroid cyst. A follow-up chest computed tomography scan indicated that the thyroid lesion had subsequently disappeared. The present study concludes that EBUS-TBNA provides an alternative approach for diagnosing and treating deep thyroid cysts located close to the airway. In all other cases, percutaneous needle aspiration or surgery should be the first choice.

Childhood and Adolescent Thyroid Cancer in Fukushima after the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant Accident: 5 Years On

The accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant occurred after the Great East Japan Earthquake on 11 March 2011, releasing a large amount of radioactive materials into the atmosphere. Questions were raised regarding the health effects of radiation exposure, which led to increased anxiety among the Fukushima residents about the possible development of thyroid cancer. Thus, thyroid ultrasound examinations began for those who were from the areas where the radiation doses were highest, and will continue for the long term. In total, 300 476 subjects aged 18 years or younger at the time of the disaster were screened from 9 October 2011 to 31 March 2014. The participation rate was 81.7% of the total population of this age and in the affected area. Among them, the proportions of those who fell into the categories A1 (no nodules or cysts present), A2 (nodule ≤ 5 mm or cyst ≤ 20 mm diameter), B (nodule > 5 mm or cyst > 20 mm diameter) and C (immediate need for further investigation) were 51.5, 47.8, 0.8 and 0%, respectively; 2294 subjects in categories B and C were recommended to undergo a confirmatory examination; 113 were subsequently diagnosed with malignancy or suspected malignancy by fine needle aspiration cytology. The full-scale survey (second round survey) began in April 2014, and was completed by 30 June 2015, and comprised 169 455 subjects (participation rate; 44.7%). The proportions of those who fell into the categories A1, A2, B and C were 41.6, 57.6, 0.8 and 0% (no case), respectively; 1223 subjects in category B were recommended to undergo a confirmatory examination, 25 of these were subsequently diagnosed with malignancy or suspected malignancy by fine needle aspiration cytology. The thyroid cancers identified in this survey so far are unlikely to be due to radiation exposure, and are more likely to be the result of screening using highly sophisticated ultrasound techniques. However, it would be advisable to continue long-term screening to determine whether the risk of childhood and adolescent thyroid cancer due to radiation exposure increases or not.

Expanding the horizons of endoscopic ultrasound: diagnosis of non-digestive pathologies

Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) is mainly used for the evaluation and sampling of mediastinal and abdominal lymph nodes, luminal and submucosal lesions of the upper and lower gastrointestinal tract, as well as in the diagnostic approach for pancreatic, biliary and liver disease. However, several non-digestive pathologies may be encountered as well, expanding the diagnostic potential of EUS. In this article, we present nine examples of extra-digestive abnormalities detected by means of EUS, including pathologies of the thyroid gland, mediastinal and abdominal vessels, lungs, kidney and the urinary bladder. The purpose of this article is to review the capabilities of EUS beyond routine evaluation of gastrointestinal organs.

[The role of thin-needle aspiration biopsy in the diagnosis of thyroid nodules]

The paper analyzes the results of thin-needle aspiration biopsy (TNAB) performed in 1155 patients with thyroid nodules. The purpose of the paper was to evaluate the efficiency of TNAB in the differential diagnosis of thyroid nodules and in the detection of carcinoma among them. A prospective open uncontrolled study was conducted. According to the data of TNAB, benign, malignant, and suspected malignant masses were found in 808 (69.96%), 49 (4.2%), and 148 (12.8%) patients, respectively. The data of TNAB were compared with the histological findings in 333 patients undergoing surgery. The sensitivity, specificity, and other indices of the efficiency of TNAB were calculated by and without taking into account a group of suspected malignant changes. The sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic accuracy were 93.9, 97.5, and 96.5%, respectively; the prognostic values as for the presence and absence of cancer were 93.8 and 97.5%, respectively, The presence of a group of suspected malignant changes substantially lowered the efficiency of TNAB. The specificity of TNAB in detecting thyroid cancer, assessed by taking into account this group was 52.5%; the prognostic value as to the presence of cancer was 39.8%. The diagnostic accuracy (63.2%), sensitivity (93.9%), and the prognostic value of TNAB in relation to the absence of cancer (97.5%) substantially unchanged. The presence of a rather large number of unrepresentative aspirates (13.0%), the bulk (74.7%) of which is presented by the contents of a cyst is another disadvantage of TNAB. A histological study revealed thyroid cancer in 6 out of these patients. The high (62%) incidence of cancer in the cystic nodes reasonably warrants the use of surgery in case of the repeated accumulation of the contents with a cystic node.