Thyroid Embolization for Nonsurgical Treatment of Nodular Goiter: A Single-Center Experience in 56 Consecutive Patients

PurposeTo investigate the safety and efficacy of thyroid artery embolization (TAE) in the treatment of nodular goiter (NG).MethodsDuring a 5.5-year period, 56 consecutive patients with a NG underwent TAE. In Group A, there were 20 patients with a solitary/dominant 5–11-cm nodule, and in Group B, there were 36 patients with numerous nodules. Of the 56 patients, 47 (84%) had a retrosternal goiter and 25 had hyperthyroidism. In all patients, clinical and radiological evaluations were made at baseline and 6 months after TAE, and these parameters were statistically compared.ResultsIn 56 patients, 145 of the 146 thyroid arteries were successfully embolized. The 30-day mortality rate was 1.8%. Minor and major complications occurred in 25 and 2 patients, respectively. Six months after the TAE, the mean nodule volume was reduced from 80.2 mL to 25.0 mL, the mean thyroid volume was reduced from 147.0 mL to 62.6 mL, and the mean intrathoracic extension was reduced from 31.7 mm to 15.9 mm (P < .001). Of the 22 patients with non–Graves hyperthyroidism, 19 (86%) became euthyroid. The mean thyroid-related patient-reported outcome scores improved from 155.4 to 70.4 (P < .001). Of the 51 patients, 50 (98%) declared that they would recommend TAE to other patients with NG.ConclusionsTAE is safe and effective for the treatment of NG, with a significant volume reduction of the nodule(s) and thyroid gland.     

Could non-HDL-cholesterol be a better marker of atherogenic dyslipidemia in obstructive sleep apnea?

Background/objectiveObstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is independently associated with dyslipidemia, a surrogate marker of atherosclerosis. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol is accepted as a major independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease. However, non-high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol is a better marker of atherogenic dyslipidemia and recommended as a target of lipid lowering therapy. We aimed to assess the prevalence of atherogenic dyslipidemia, and relationship between OSA severity and serum LDL-cholesterol and non-HDL cholesterol levels in OSA patients.MethodsWe retrospectively evaluated treatment naïve 2361 subjects admitted to the sleep laboratory of a university hospital for polysomnography. All subjects’ lipid profile including total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, and non-HDL-cholesterol were measured.ResultsOut of 2361 patients (mean age 49.6 ± 11.9 years; 68.9% male, apnea-hypopnea index 36.6 ± 28.4/h), 185 (7.8%) had no OSA and 2176 (92.2%) had OSA. Atherogenic dyslipidemia prevalence was high (57–66%) in OSA patients, and especially increased in severe OSA compared to other groups (p < 0.05). Though total and LDL-cholesterol did not differ between those with and without OSA, non-HDL-cholesterol (p = 0.020), and triglycerides (p = 0.001) were higher and HDL-cholesterol levels (p = 0.018) were lower in OSA patients than non-OSA. Non-HDL-cholesterol was significantly correlated with OSA severity (p < 0.001) and hypoxia parameters (p < 0.01), whereas LDL-cholesterol showed no correlation.ConclusionsAtherogenic dyslipidemia is highly prevalent and non-HDL-cholesterol levels are significantly increased, predominantly in severe OSA patients. Non-HDL-cholesterol but not LDL-cholesterol, is significantly correlated with OSA severity and hypoxia parameters. Therefore, it could be better to use non-HDL-cholesterol, which is a guideline recommended target of lipid therapy, as a marker of atherosclerotic cardiovascular risk in OSA patients.     

A Review of Primary Thyroid Lymphoma: Molecular Factors,Diagnosis and Management

Purpose/aim: To focus on current aspects of primary thyroid lymphoma (PTL), which is a rare clinical entity usually manifested by a rapidly growing mass in the neck that can cause pressure symptoms.

Materials and Methods: Relevant papers in PubMed published through June 2017 were selected to track updated information about PTL with an emphasis on diagnosis and novel therapeutic management.

Results: The most frequent cases include non-Hodgkin lymphoma derived from B-cells, mainly diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) followed by mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma or a mixed type. Other subtypes are less common. Lymphomas derived from T-cells and Hodgkin lymphomas are extremely rare. Hashimoto's autoimmune thyroiditis has been implicated as a risk factor for lymphoma. At the molecular level, the Wnt5a protein and its receptor Ror2 are involved in the course of the disease. Ultrasonography, fine needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy, and core or open biopsy combined with new diagnostic facilities contribute to an accurate diagnosis. An increased potential exists for a cure without the need for a radical surgical procedure. Modern chemoradiation therapy plus the monoclonal antibody rituximab, which acts against CD20, have limited the need for surgical interventions and provide an excellent outcome in most cases. However, some cases have resulted in treatment failure or recurrence.

Conclusions: A multidisciplinary approach must be used to define the management policy in each case. Future efforts by researchers are likely to be focused on the molecular level.     

Sonographic features of benign thyroid nodules: interobserver reliability and overlap with malignancy.

OBJECTIVE: To prospectively determine the sonographic findings of nodular hyperplasia of the thyroid, to compare these with reported findings associated with malignancy, and to assess interobserver reliability. METHODS: Seventy thyroid nodules were scanned, and then biopsies of the nodules were performed under sonographic guidance with fine-needle cytologic analysis; in all cases images were reviewed by 2 experienced radiologists without knowledge of clinical outcome. Findings reported associated with malignancy were specifically assessed. Interobserver agreement between the expert and secondary readers for each finding was calculated by the kappa or weighted kappa statistic and the Fisher exact test of independence. RESULTS: There were 68 benign and 2 malignant nodules in a population of 63 female and 7 male patients. The mean benign nodule size was 2.9 cm; 60% were solid; 54% were hypoechoic; 59% were microlobulated or macrolobulated; 47% had central vascularity; 24% contained calcifications; and 82% were elliptical in shape. There was very good interobserver reliability for the presence of calcium (kappa = 0.91) and good agreement for the presence and location of vascularity (kappa = 0.75) and the amount of cystic components (kappa = 0.62; all P < .01). CONCLUSIONS: Sixty-nine percent of benign nodules had at least 1 finding reported previously as associated with malignancy. The interobserver reliability of the sonographic findings was good to very good for 3 of the 5 findings assessed.     

甲状腺~(99)Tc~mO_4~-显像冷结节的临床诊断价值

目的　探讨甲状腺99TcmO-4 显像冷结节对不同性质甲状腺疾病的诊断价值。方法　采用静脉注射99TcmO-4 185MBq ,2 0min后甲状腺前位静态显像 ,采集总计数 1× 10 6。显像显示甲状腺结节局部放射性分布缺损或低于正常甲状腺组织则定性为冷结节。结果　 34 2例甲状腺99TcmO-4 显像发现冷结节 85例 ,发生率为2 4.9% ,85例冷结节中 ,37例 (4 3.5 % )为甲状腺瘤 ,15例为甲状腺癌 (17.6 % ) ,2 0例 (2 3.5 % )为结节性甲状腺肿 ,8例 (9.4% )为甲状腺炎 ,4例 (4 .7% )为单纯性甲状腺囊肿 ,1例 (1.3% )为甲状腺外肿物。结论　冷结节在甲状腺99Tcm O-4 显像时较为常见 ,且不同性质甲状腺疾病的冷结节及其周围组织有一定的特征性表现 ,因此99TcmO-4显像冷结节对甲状腺腺瘤、甲状腺癌、甲状腺囊肿、甲状腺炎等常见疾病具有较高的临床价值。     

Fos Expression in the Rat Brain Following Vaginal-Cervical Stimulation by Mating and Manual Probing

Vaginal-cervical stimulation (VCS), provided by mating or manual probing, induces many reproductive behavioral and endocrine changes in female rats. These changes include an increase in lordosis duration, heat termination and pseudopregnancy. Electro-physiological and [¹⁴C]2-deoxy-D-glucose studies collectively show that neurons in the medial preoptic area, ventromedial hypothalamus and midbrain central gray respond to manual VCS. In the present study we immunocytochemically labeled brain sections for Fos, the protein product of the immediate early gene c-fos, to detect VCS-responsive neurons in hormone-primed animals receiving VCS by mating or manual probing. In Experiment 1, females receiving mounts and intromissions were compared to: 1) vaginally-masked females receiving mounts but no VCS, 2) females exposed to an intact anesthetized male or 3) females not exposed to males or the testing arena. Those animals receiving VCS showed a dramatic increase in the number of Fos-immunoreactive cells in the medial preoptic area, posterodorsal portion of the medial amygdala and bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, as well as the dorsomedial hypothalamus, ventromedial hypothalamus and midbrain central gray. These effects of VCS were confirmed in Experiment 2 in animals receiving manual vaginal-cervical probing. These findings extend previous electrophysiological and [¹⁴C]2-deoxy-D-glucose studies by providing evidence that additional brain areas respond to VCS by mating, as well as manual probing.     

Effect of desympathization on repair of the resected thyroid gland in adult rats

Department of Biology, Izhevsk Medical Institute. (Presented by Academician of the Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR D. S. Sarkisov.) Translated from Byulleten' Éksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 107, No. 3, pp. 353–356, March, 1989.     

甲状腺切除术中喉返神经损伤的预防

目的：探讨降低喉返神经损伤的方法。方法：2005年9月-2007年1月共有375例甲状腺手术患者，对其喉返神经损伤进行分析。结果：375例病人中有5例喉返神经损伤，其中甲状腺腺瘤3例，桥本甲状腺炎1例，甲状腺癌1例，损伤后立即行喉镜检查示声带处于外展位。给予营养神经治疗，15 d-3个月后完全恢复，喉镜检查示声带正常。结论：喉返神经损伤可以预防，关键是术者应熟悉喉返神经的解剖结构和变异，熟悉其与周围组织及血管的关系，要有手术区域的组织结构特别是喉返神经走行的“立体影像”。     

手术治疗125例分化性甲状腺癌的5年随访结果分析

目的：探讨甲状腺全切除术在治疗分化性甲状腺癌中的临床应用价值。方法：采用我院1988年1月～2001年5月甲状腺全切除术或甲状腺侧叶切除加峡部切除术治疗分化性甲状腺癌125例,对其手术并发症发生、局部复发、转移情况及术后5年生存率进行回顾性对比分析。结果：甲状腺全切除术术后并发症发生率高于甲状腺侧叶切除加峡部切除术组;局部复发、转移率低于侧叶切除加峡部切除术组;5年生存率两组无显著性差异。结论：甲状腺全切除术是治疗甲状腺癌有效的手术方式,但应掌握手术指征,改进、提高手术技术,减少并发症。