Generally, radiology is known as a medical department that only reads and diagnoses various examinations including computed topography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). However, the Department of Radiology at Asan Medical Center (AMC) is engaged in various interventional procedures for treatment such as radiofrequency ablation using cutting-edge imaging devices. In particular, AMC team led by Professor Jung Hwan Baek of the Department of Radiology has so far performed approximately 7,000 cases of thyroid radiofrequency ablation (RFA), which is a non-surgical treatment preferred by patients. Now, he is now passing on his know-hows to international physicians. Professor Jung Hwan Baek, a world leader in thyroid diagnosis and radiofrequency ablation, shares his stories about international patient treatment.

Treatment philosophy behind treating patients from abroad

International patients tend to seek help from an overseas medical institution when they find it difficult to get appropriate treatment in local hospitals or there is no infrastructure they can rely on. What is most important for medical professionals to offer international patients who have come a long way is providing an accurate diagnosis and treatment. The accuracy of diagnosis and treatment depends on the knowledge of medical professionals about the relevant disease. I am constantly working to learn new knowledge in order to offer an accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment to international patients.

Specialized area of treatment and accumulated experience

In the reality of the world of medicine where non-surgical options are more and more welcomed, there has been no alternative to surgery to treat thyroid tumor. The number of patients with high surgery risk or who are unable to undergo surgical procedures has increased along with the growth in the elderly population, which led me to start my research on non-surgical treatment of thyroid tumor. Since performing the world’s first successful radiofrequency ablation of benign thyroid tumor in 2002, I have conducted approximately 7,000 cases so far. Thyroid radiofrequency ablation is preferred by patients for the procedure is non-scarring minimal invasive, preserves the thyroid, and is not complicated. In an aim to have radiofrequency ablation established as a global treatment, I participated as the lead author of the world’s first clinical guidelines for thyroid radiofrequency ablation published by the Korean Society of Thyroid Radiology. Later, radiofrequency ablation was selected as a new medical technology by Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety because its therapeutic effect had been demonstrated in recurrent thyroid cancer. This unrivaled technology has served as a basis for running the AMC International Radiology Master Course (AirMC), allowing some 500 international physicians to learn the relevant know-hows. International physicians, on their return to home countries, passed on the thyroid radiofrequency ablation skills to other colleagues, allowing patients in many countries receive thyroid radiofrequency treatment. While Asian medical professionals were target trainees of the initial thyroid radiofrequency ablation training, it gained popularity which led to regular training programs in Europe, the U.S. and Latin America. I was also invited to international conference lectures about 200 times. In addition, I published about 300 papers regarding thyroid and radiofrequency. Thyroid radiofrequency ablation became widely publicized in the U.S. through training programs for medical professionals and publication of academic papers that together helped thyroid radiofrequency electrode get approved by the U.S. FDA.

Considerations when treating international patients

There are still not many experts in thyroid radiofrequency ablation abroad. Most international patients are introduced by local medical staff to come to AMC. What makes international patients travel a long way is the stories they hear from local medical staff and trust in radiofrequency ablation skills of AMC medical professionals. I am trying my best to return their trust. I am striving to help patients receive treatment and recover their happy life routines.

Memorable patient from abroad

One day, I received an e-mail from the U.S. It was from a 28-year-old U.S. patient who had been treated for thyroid cancer at Mayo Clinic in the U.S. Having suffered from recurrent thyroid cancer despite repeated treatment, the patient was looking for other hospitals and found out about AMC’s thyroid radiofrequency ablation. According to the medical records that the patient had sent, it appeared to me that the patient can be treated. After undergoing three thyroid radiotherapy ablation procedures at AMC, the patient went back to the U.S. and was told that cancer cells completely disappeared two years later. The worldwide presence of AMC’s thyroid treatment became evident as a patient who could not be treated at Mayo Clinic was treated successfully at AMC.

Feeling rewarded by treating international patients

For a while, it was not easy for international patients to visit any hospital in other countries. Entering South Korea was also difficult because travel by plane was not allowed, and even if they found a flight, they had to be on a long self-quarantine before they could come to the hospital. To overcome these restrictions, AMC started to offer contactless medical services. Medical records and test results of a patient released by local medical institutions were analyzed to quickly determine the patient’s condition and the possibilities of treatment were examined. Through virtual consultation together with local medical team, it was possible to set up a treatment plan for the patient’s visit. I feel greatly rewarded for having been able to offer appropriate treatment to international patients through non-face-to-face medical care even during the pandemic.

Message to patients from abroad

The process in which an international patient visits AMC and receives treatment requires a close cooperation between the responsible medical department and relevant teams. In particular, AMC International Healthcare Center takes a lot of time and effort to provide medical care to international patients. International patients are examined to find out possible treatment options and, after their return to home countries, online medical consultation is arranged for proper patient management. Also, when international patients visit AMC, various non-medical services including interpretation and Western-style meals are offered for their convenience. I hope international patients can trust AMC where a system has been established in treating international patients and receive treatment at ease as if they were at home.

※ 'Meet AMC Experts' features dedicated doctors at Asan Medical Center(AMC) who shed light on international patients coming a long way from home for treatment.

Radiology
Professor Jung Hwan Baek

Specialty : Thyroid and Head & Neck Interventional Clinic (Radiofrequency Therapy)
Position : Professor, Department of Radiology, Head and Neck Cancer Center
Academic Activities : Hosting Chair, Asian Conference on Tumor Ablation (ACTA) / Lead Author, World’s first clinical guidelines for thyroid radiofrequency ablation (2021, 2017) / Published over 300 scientific papers regarding thyroid and radiofrequency / Invited to more than 200 international conference lectures