Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39880382›Full record

Observational studyThe Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism2025

Radiofrequency Ablation for Thyroid Nodules (RATED Study)-Analysis of a Learning Curve and Predictors of Success.

Manon M D van der Meeren, Tim Boers, Pim de Graaf, Katya M Duvivier, Koen M A Dreijerink, Laura N Deden, Peter Veendrick, Paul Cernohorsky, Frank B M Joosten, Angelique B M C Savelberg and 5 more

Abstract readObservational StudyMulticenter Study
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Observational study in The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

15 authors.

Manon M D van der MeerenRijnstate, Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, 6815 AD Arnhem, the Netherlands.ORCID 0000-0001-5822-4937
Tim BoersUniversity of Twente, Multi-modality Medical Imaging, TechMed Center, 7522 NH Enschede, the Netherlands.
Pim de GraafAmsterdam UMC, Location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, 1081 HV Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Katya M DuvivierAmsterdam UMC, Location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, 1081 HV Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Koen M A DreijerinkAmsterdam UMC, Location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, 1081 HV Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Laura N DedenRijnstate, Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, 6815 AD Arnhem, the Netherlands.
Peter VeendrickRijnstate, Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, 6815 AD Arnhem, the Netherlands.
Paul CernohorskyRijnstate, Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, 6815 AD Arnhem, the Netherlands.
Frank B M JoostenRijnstate, Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, 6815 AD Arnhem, the Netherlands.
Angelique B M C SavelbergMeander Medical Center, Department of Internal Medicine, 3813 TZ Amersfoort, the Netherlands.
Sicco J BraakZiekenhuisgroep Twente, Department of Radiology, 7609 PP Almelo, the Netherlands.
Sean H P P RoerinkRijnstate, Department of Internal Medicine, 6815 AD Arnhem, the Netherlands.
Michel VersluisUniversity of Twente, Physics of Fluids, TechMed Center, 7522 NH Enschede, the Netherlands.
Srirang ManoharUniversity of Twente, Multi-modality Medical Imaging, TechMed Center, 7522 NH Enschede, the Netherlands.
Wim J G OyenRijnstate, Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, 6815 AD Arnhem, the Netherlands.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

contextRadiofrequency ablation (RFA) is used as treatment for symptomatic thyroid nodules. Factors influencing the volume reduction ratio (VRR) at 12 months are not yet fully understood.

objectiveThe primary objective of this work was evaluating the VRR at 12 months after RFA. Secondary objectives were the assessment of a learning curve and factors influencing the VRR at 12 months.

methodsA retrospective observational cohort study was conducted at 3 Dutch referral hospitals of patients who underwent RFA for symptomatic thyroid nodules with available ultrasound (US) follow-up. Main outcome measures included US-based VRR at 12 months and chronologically numbered RFA procedures. All patients' baseline, treatment, and early follow-up factors were assessed for correlation with VRR at 12 months.

resultsA total of 337 patients with 356 nodules were included in the learning curve analysis. VRR at 12 months increased for the first 20 treatments per center and stabilized thereafter, indicating a plateau phase after a learning curve. These initial cases were removed from further analysis. In the remaining 299 nodules, median VRR at 3, 6, and 12 months was 57.1%, 65.6%, and 70.8%. Baseline nodule volume negatively correlated with VRR at 12 months but VRR was high for every volume category. Energy delivered per volume did not correlate with VRR.

conclusionIn RFA for thyroid nodules, a stable treatment efficacy is achieved after 20 treatments, with a median VRR of 70.8%. Baseline nodule volume, energy delivered, and prolonged follow-up 6 months after treatment may not be clinically relevant to predict treatment success.

Indexed as

Learning CurveRadiofrequency AblationThyroid NoduleAdultAgedFemaleFollow-Up StudiesHumansMaleMiddle AgedRetrospective StudiesTreatment OutcomeUltrasonographylearning curvenoduleradiofrequency ablationthyroidultrasound

Identifiers

PMID39880382
PMCPMC12527443

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.