A radioactive clue that could spare thousands from thyroid surgery
NCT ID NCT05591092
First seen Aug 11, 2026 · Last updated Aug 12, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This trial tests whether a special imaging scan using a small amount of radioactive iodine (iodine-123) can tell the difference between benign and cancerous thyroid nodules before surgery. Currently, biopsy alone can't always make that call, so many people undergo surgery just to find out. If the scan proves accurate, it could help doctors avoid unnecessary operations. The study involves adults with suspicious thyroid nodules who will receive the tracer and undergo planar and SPECT/CT imaging before their scheduled surgery.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Iodine-123, a radioactive tracer used in imaging scans
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this imaging approach could help doctors identify cancerous thyroid nodules without surgery, sparing many patients from unnecessary operations.
- What could go wrong
- This is a very small early study, and the imaging may not reliably distinguish benign from malignant nodules. There is also a small radiation exposure risk from the tracer.
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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.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Mayo Clinic in Rochester
Rochester, Minnesota, 55905, United States
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