Role of Locoregional Therapies in the Treatment of Thyroid Pathology: Proceedings from the Society of Interventional Radiology Foundation Research Consensus Panel

The role of locoregional therapy in the management of thyroid pathology is rapidly evolving. The Society of Interventional Radiology (SIR) Foundation commissioned an international research consensus panel consisting of physicians from multiple disciplines with expertise in the management of benign and malignant thyroid disease. The panel focused on identifying gaps in the current body of literature to establish research priorities that have the potential to shape the landscape of minimally invasive thyroid interventions. The topics discussed were centered on the emerging role of ablation for malignant thyroid tumors and the treatment of large functioning nodules with embolization and ablation. Specifically, the panel prioritized identifying nodule characteristics, including size and location, that are associated with ideal outcomes following thermal ablation for papillary thyroid microcarcinoma through the development of an international registry or a prospective, multi-institutional trial. The panel also prioritized evaluating the role of locoregional therapy in Stage T1b papillary thyroid cancer through a sequence of 2 studies: (a) a Phase I study of ablation followed by immediate resection of Stage T1b papillary thyroid cancer, which may lead to (b) a Phase II prospective, multi-institutional study of ablation followed by biopsy for Stage T1b papillary thyroid cancer. Lastly, the panel prioritized investigating the treatment of large, functioning thyroid nodules >20 mL in volume through a randomized clinical trial or prospective registry comparing embolization alone with embolization followed by ablation. [Display omitted]