Can microwave ablation outperform radiofrequency for thyroid nodules?

NCT ID NCT06426563

What the study statuses mean

This study's is highlighted.

Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now This study
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

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

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

About 150 people

The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.

Started

Apr 2024

Expected to finish

Jun 2028

An estimate. End dates often move.

Lead sponsor

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

18 years and older

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

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

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.

  1. The places running it

    1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.

  2. The official record

    ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.

    Open the record ↗

  3. 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

  • Queen Mary Hospital

    RECRUITING

    Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 00000, Hong Kong

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