Clinical Thyroidology for the Public summarizes selected research studies discussed in the previous month’s issue of Clinical Thyroidology, an official publication of the American Thyroid Association. Editor-in-chief, Alan Farwell, MD, FACE
Volume 19 Issue 2
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Clinical Thyroidology for the Public Volume 19 Issue 2 (PDF file, 2.79 MB)
TABLE OF CONTENTS – Web Format
THYROID SURGERY
Development of a model to predict who will need to take a thyroid hormone pill after partial removal of the thyroid gland
When all of the thyroid is removed by surgery, patients will require a thyroid pill after surgery. When only part of the thyroid gland is removed during surgery (partial thyroidectomy or thyroid lobectomy), the thyroid tissue left behind might produce enough thyroid hormone to meet the body’s needs. The goal of this study was to develop a model to help predict which people will need to take a thyroid hormone pill after partial thyroidectomy.
Mimouni E, et al. A clinical risk score for thyroid hormone therapy after partial thyroidectomy. J Surg Res 2025;314:169-175.
HYPOTHYROIDISM .
How safe is T3 (Liothyronine) in the treatment of hypothyroidism?
Most patients with hypothyroidism do fine with L-T4 alone and their symptoms are resolved. However, some patients report persistent symptoms on T4, leading to the use of combined L-T4 and L-T3 as an option. A concern with using L-T3 is it may not be safe for the heart and bones. This study tries to answer the question about the safety of the use of L-T3 in hypothyroid patients.
Bahl S, et al. Risk of death and adverse effects in patients on liothyronine: a multisource systematic review and meta-analysis. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, Volume 110, Issue 11, November 2025, 3278–3288, PMID: 40795305.
THYROID NODULES
The AI “goalkeeper”: preventing unnecessary biopsies in the era of thyroid cancer overdiagnosis
Thyroid nodules are evaluated as to whether they are cancer by a thyroid biopsy. Doctors use ultrasound to decide who needs a biopsy, but because doctors do not want to miss cancer, many nodules that are actually safe still get biopsied. In this study, researchers wanted to see if an AI computer program evaluating ultrasound images could safely reduce unnecessary biopsies.
Ni JH et al. Optimizing thyroid nodule management with artificial intelligence: multicenter retrospective study on reducing unnecessary fine needle aspirations. JMIR Med Inform 2025;13:e71740; doi: 10.2196/71740. PMID: 40737551.
THYROID CANCER
Long-term outcomes of patients diagnosed with thyroid cancer in childhood
While thyroid cancer during childhood is rare, the number of patients diagnosed with thyroid cancer has increased over the last several decades. While patients in this age group tend to have more advanced disease when the cancer is diagnosed, as compared to thyroid cancer in adults, thyroid cancer during childhood continues to share the same excellent prognosis as in adults. The present study sought to determine long-term outcomes of thyroid cancer in individuals diagnosed at age 20 or younger and to propose recommendations as to how best to follow these patients.
Valenciaga P et al. Long-term outcomes of patients diagnosed with differentiated thyroid cancer in childhood and young adulthood. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. Epub 2025 Sep 18:dgaf522; doi: 10.1210/clinem/dgaf522. PMID: 40973122.
THYROID CANCER
Will a radioactive iodine treatment help me live longer with thyroid cancer?
Radioactive iodine is a “magic bullet”for treating thyroid cacner as it is taken up and destroys only thyroid cells. Using radioactive iodine therapy following total thyroidectomy for thyroid cancer patients currently is controversial for patients who are at low and intermediate risk of recurrence of the cancer. The study was done to see if radioactive iodine therapy allowed thyroid cancer patients to live longer.
Weis H, et al. Impact of radioactive iodine treatment on long-term relative survival in patients with papillary and follicular thyroid cancer: a SEER-based study covering histologic subtypes and recurrence risk categories. J Nucl Med 2025;66:525-530.
THYROID NODULES
Nanosecond Pulse Field Ablation: An emerging treatment option for benign thyroid nodules.
Several new, non-surgical options for treating thyroid nodules have recently become available. Nanosecond pulsed field ablation (nsPFA) uses ultra-short electrical pulses destroy thyroid nodules. This study evaluated the safety and effectiveness of nsPFA for treating benign thyroid nodules.
Spiezia S, et al. First-in-human clinical feasibility study of ablation of benign thyroid nodules using nanosecond pulsed field ablation. Thyroid 2025;35(9):1024-1029.
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