Thyroid nodules are a common clinical finding, with an estimated prevalence of 3% to 7% at palpation. Prevalence of non-palpable nodules at thyroid ultrasound (US) in the general population is much higher; moreover, many patients with palpable thyroid nodules have additional nodules at US (15-35%). The great majority of thyroid nodules are benign, with less than 5% being malignant (i.e. carcinomas). While cytological examination of fine needle aspirates is the gold standard for discriminating malignant nodules, thyroid conventional US patterns have high specificity but low sensitivity in the diagnosis of carcinomas. Elastosonography is a new technique that employs US to provide an estimate of nodular stiffness and is being developed to obtain higher accuracy in diagnosis. Alternative treatment modalities for benign thyroid nodules, such as laser therapy - a novel, minimallyinvasive treatment - are currently being
tested to overcome the limits of medical therapy and avoid unnecessary thyroid excision. EXCEMED is collaborating with the Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Endocrine Unit # 1, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, of the University of Pisa, Italy, to produce an advanced course in thyroid ultrasonography focusing on new modalities for the diagnosis and treatment of thyroid nodules that will be exploring the practical aspects of US-guided diagnostic elastosonography and laser therapy in the management of thyroid nodules. The main objectives of this course are to review the latest news in thyroid ultrasound diagnostic criteria and applications in the presence of thyroid nodules and to offer tools to use in daily clinical practice when executing diagnostic elastosonography and laser treatment for benign nodules.