Percutaneous Ethanol Injection Therapy for Inoperable Differentiated Thyroid Carcinoma : Report of a Case

We repory herein the case of a 75-year-old woman who underwent successful percutaneous ethanol injection therapy (PEIT) for inoperable thyroid carcinoma. The patient was admitted to our hospital for investigation of a neck tumor, and a thyroid tumor was subsequently diagnosed by ultrasonography (US) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Histologic examination of an aspiration biopsy revealed findings of a papillary carcinoma. Tracheal invasion was suspectes by the MRI and broncoscopy findings. In addition, scintigraphy revealed a bone metastasis. The preoperative staging was defind as JT4, N1, and M1(Stage Ⅳ). The patient also suffered from left hemiplegia as the result of a traffic accident. As she and her familyrefused an operation, PEIT was performed under local anesthesia and US imaging, following which the tumor size decreased apporoximately by half. The patient was discharged after this treatment and has been followed up for 13 months without any new complaints. This case demonstrates that PEIT is an effective palliative therapy for differentiated thyroid carcinoma, particularly when the surgery is not feasible.

thyroid carcinoma

percutaneous ethanol injection therapy (PEIT)

ethanol

palliative therapy