title: Efficacy and safety of USG-guided ethanol sclerotherapy in cystic thyroid nodules.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the effectiveness and safety of USG-guided ethanol sclerotherapy in cystic thyroid nodules.
  
  
  METHODS
  USG of the thyroid gland was performed in 54 patients suspected to have a thyroid nodule on clinical examination. All patients with a predominantly cystic nodule (i.e., when> 2/3 rd of the nodule was cystic) were included in the study. Ethanol was injected into the cyst under USG guidance. The amount of ethanol injected was about 50% of the amount of aspirated fluid. Follow-up USG was done every month for 3 months; ethanol was re-injected when there was no significant reduction in the cyst volume. The initial cyst volume was compared with the final volume; statistical significance was assessed using the paired t-test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  USG revealed predominant cystic nodules in 16 of the 54 patients. Fifteen patients were selected for the study. Following ethanol sclerotherapy, four out of the 15 patients (26.6%) showed complete disappearance of the cyst and nine (60%) showed significant reduction in the cyst volume (i.e., reduction of cyst volume by >/=50% of initial volume). Only two patients did not show significant reduction in cyst volume; both these patients had nodules with an initial volume of >/=20 cc. There were no complications attributable to ethanol injection during follow-up.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ethanol sclerotherapy is an effective and safe treatment for benign cystic thyroid nodules with volumes of < 20 cc. Cystic nodules with volume> 20 cc may need more number of alcohol injections and longer follow-up.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Kovai Medical Center and Hospital, Avinashi Road, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: S R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Jayesh
authors.forename: Pankaj
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mehta
authors.forename: Mathew P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Cherian
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ilayaraja
authors.forename: Prashanth
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Venkatesh