Feasibility of Radiofrequency Ablation in the Management of Papillary Thyroid Cancer Under Ultra-Sound Guidance.

Around 23,000 cases of thyroid cancer are discovered annually in the US, and PTC accounts
for 70-75% of those cases. The conventional treatment consists mainly of surgical resection,
in the form of lobectomy with/without isthmusectomy, or total thyroidectomy, making it one
of the most commonly performed procedures. It has high costs, and exposes the patients to
morbidity of surgery and anesthesia. PTC tends to be indolent with a 90% cure rate and
controversy exists regarding extent of treatment.

Percutaneous image-guided RFA has received increasing attention as a promising minimally
invasive technique for the treatment of focal malignant disease. It permits the in situ
destruction of tumors without necessitating their surgical excision.

Inclusion Criteria:

- Aged 18-90 years old

- Patients with low risk well-differentiated PTC, diagnosed by US guided FNA, and whose
management decision is total thyroidectomy.

- Patients with only one dominant malignant nodule will be included in the study.

- Patients with size of their thyroid nodule ranging only between 1-4cm in diameter
will be included in the study.

- Patients with nodules located only in between the mid and lower pole of the thyroid
gland will be included in the study.

Exclusion Criteria:

- When the patient does not meet the inclusion criteria.

- When the patient has a contra-indication of surgery or anesthesia.

- If the patient refuses involvement in the study.