Creating clinical guidelines is a modern trend. Published studies pertaining to a given theme are collected, their credibility evaluated, and then treatment options in the form of evidence-based guidelines are offered. There are a number of guidelines for the treatment of thyroid tumors that have established positions in clinical practice in North America and in Western European countries. In Japan, however, where radioisotope facilities are of limited availability, treatment plans for differentiated thyroid cancer differ considerably from those of America and Europe, and the associated clinical guidelines need modification before they can be adopted. In addition, although thyroid tumor is a common disease in endocrine practice, its management can differ even among specialists. Thus, a Japanese clinical guideline for the treatment of thyroid tumor was desired by many clinicians. As a combination of evidence-based and consensus-based guidelines for the treatment of thyroid tumor, this book offers alternatives to conventional approaches in the West. Ultimately, the authors hope the guideline will lead to the best possible treatment for patients all over the world in the not-distant future.

Utilizing the most current evidence, this practical book is the first publication of its kind to focus exclusively on the clinical and laboratory evaluation and therapy of thyroid nodules, including advances in evaluation and controversies in management. Opening with chapters presenting the epidemiology, history, laboratory and clinical evaluation of thyroid nodules, the use of radioactive isotope ultrasound and CT scanning in diagnosis is then described. The interpretation of thyroid cytology following fine needle aspiration (FNA) biopsies and the use of molecular markers are discussed in detail, as is the controversial use of thyroxine therapy. Following a presentation of the common and minimally invasive surgical approaches to thyroid nodules, chapters on multinodal goiters, incidentalomas and thyroid nodules in children round out the presentation. Written and edited by leading US and international thyroidologists, Thyroid Nodules is a useful, state-of-the-art text for endocrinologists, surgeons, and primary care physicians.

This atlas is the offspring of the “The National Cancer Institute (NCI) Thyroid Fine Needle Aspiration (FNA) State of the Science Conference,” hosted by the NCI and organized by Dr. Andrea Abati. Preparations for the conference began 18 months earlier with the designation of a steering committee and the establishment of a dedicated, p- manent web site. The meeting took place on October 22 and 23, 2007 in Bethesda, Maryland and was co-moderated by Susan J. Mandel and Edmund S. Cibas. The discussions and conclusions regarding terminology and morphologic criteria 1, 2 from the meeting were summarized in publications by Baloch et al. and form the framework for this atlas. The atlas is organized by the general categories of “Nondiagnostic,” “Benign,” “Follicular Neoplasm/Suspicious for a Follicular Neoplasm”, “Suspicious for Malignancy,” and “Malignant,” and it includes the defi- tions and morphologic criteria of these categories as set forth by Baloch et al. The majority of the conference participants also agreed on a category of “undetermined significance,” which is incorporated in this atlas (Chap. 4). It is critical that the cytopathologist communicate thyroid FNA interpretations to the referring physician in terms that are succinct, unambiguous, and helpful clinically. We recognize that the terminology used here is a flexible framework that can be modified by individual laboratories to meet the needs of their providers and the patients they serve.

Edited by Clark (surgery, University of California, San Francisco, and Mount Zion Medical Center) and Noguchi (Noguchi Thyroid Clinic and Hospital Foundation), this volume explains the rationale behind currently popular treatments and clarifies the controversies surrounding the diagnosis and immediate management of patients with the disease. Presenting contributions from an international group of authorities, it contains critical outcome data, information on new diagnostic modalities, management strategies, illustrated surgical techniques, and the latest advances in molecular biology.

This book provides the reader with a comprehensive understanding of both the basic principles and the clinical applications of nuclear oncology imaging techniques. The authors have assembled a distinguished group of leaders in the field who provide valuable insight on the subject. The book also includes major chapters on the cancer patient and the pathophysiology of abnormal tissue, the evaluation of co-existing disease, and the diagnosis and therapy of specific tumors using functional imaging studies. Each chapter is heavily illustrated to assist the reader in understanding the clinical role of nuclear oncology in cancer disease therapy and management.