Impact of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis on radiofrequency ablation for papillary thyroid micro-carcinoma: a cohort study of 391 patients

PURPOSE: To assess the impact of Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) on radiofrequency ablation (RFA) outcomes for papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC). METHODS: A retrospective study of 391 PTMC patients treated with RFA from March 2017 to August 2020, divided by HT accompanied or not. Ablation area size, volume reduction ratio (VRR), lesion disappearance, complications, and recurrences were analyzed. RESULTS: = 0.192). CONCLUSION: HT delays the resorption of PTMC lesions following RFA, but it does not impact the procedure's effectiveness or safety. Regardless of HT status, RFA remains a viable alternative to surgery for PTMC.