Can microwave ablation outperform radiofrequency for thyroid nodules?
NCT ID NCT06426563
First seen Sep 03, 2026 · Last updated Sep 04, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This trial tests whether microwave ablation can shrink benign thyroid nodules more effectively than the standard radiofrequency ablation. Both methods use heat to destroy nodule tissue without surgery. The study enrolls adults with moderate-sized, mostly solid, benign nodules that may cause neck pressure or discomfort. Researchers will compare how much the nodules shrink one year after treatment and track regrowth and side effects.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Ablation treatment of thyroid nodule using radiofrequency or microwave energy
- What this could lead to
- If microwave ablation works better, it could offer a faster, more effective non-surgical option for shrinking benign thyroid nodules and easing symptoms.
- What could go wrong
- This is an early-stage comparison, and results may show no clear winner. Both procedures carry risks like pain, voice changes, or nodule regrowth.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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About 150 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Apr 2024
- Expected to finish
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Jun 2028
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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18 years and older
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: 1. Adult patients \>/=18 years of age 2. Nodule maximal diameter ≥2cm and nodule volume \<20ml 3. Nodule being predominantly solid (≥80% solid) 4. Confirmed benign nature of nodules, either by : two benign fine needle biopsies, with the most recent biopsy performed within 1 year of enrollment in study or one benign fine needle biopsy and low suspicion characteristics on ultrasound 5. Both functional and non-functional nodules are eligible. Exclusion Criteria: 1. Cytologically indeterminate nodules 2. Nodules with substernal extension or posterior extension that cannot be viewed sufficiently with ultrasound 3. current pregnancy or cardiac arrhythmias; presence of pacemaker or any medical condition that renders patient unfit for thermal ablation
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Queen Mary Hospital
RECRUITINGHong Kong, Hong Kong, 00000, Hong Kong
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