What tests do doctors perform to check thyroid function?

The thyroid is an endocrine gland located at the base of your neck. It releases thyroid hormones to perform various bodily functions. As a result, if your thyroid gland is underactive or overactive, it can cause various abnormalities. In such cases, you can perform a thyroid self-exam at home. Moreover, you should also visit a diagnostics center in Nashville for proper medical tests. This blog will discuss the various tests doctors perform to evaluate thyroid functions.


Medical Tests for Thyroid Functions

If you notice a lump or swelling in your thyroid or experience symptoms associated with various thyroid disorders, it is time to schedule your appointment with a healthcare provider. They may perform the following tests to check your thyroid function.

TSH Test

One of the effective ways to test thyroid function is to measure Thyroid Stimulating Hormone or TSH in your blood. A high TSH level indicates that your thyroid gland produces inadequate thyroid hormone. This health condition is called hypothyroidism. Alternatively, a low TSH level indicates a health condition called hyperthyroidism, where your thyroid produces excess thyroid hormone.

T4 Test

Thyroxine, or T4, is the main thyroid hormone circulating in your bloodstream. The Total T4 measures the free and bound hormone. A Free T4 measures the not-bound hormones. Your doctor at a family clinic Nashville will perform a T4 test and TSH to determine how well your thyroid gland is functioning.

Higher levels of TSH with low Free T4 (FT4) or Free T4 Index (FTI) indicate hypothyroidism due to issues in the thyroid gland. On the other hand, a low TSH and a low FT4 or FTI indicate hypothyroidism due to issues in the pituitary gland. Further, a low TSH with a high FT4 or FTI indicates the patient suffers from hyperthyroidism.

T3 Test

Your doctor performs Triiodothyronine or T3 test to diagnose Hyperthyroidism and its severity. A higher level of T3 signifies that patients are hyperthyroid. However, this test is not that much helpful in diagnosing hypothyroidism. It has been noticed that patients can be severely hypothyroid with a high TSH and a low FT4 or FTI, but with a normal T3 level.

Free T3

It helps measure T3 eliminating the effect of the protein that naturally binds T3. Hence, it may not provide accurate measurements.

In addition, your doctor may also perform the following blood tests.

·         Thyroid antibodies - These tests help detect various types of autoimmune thyroid conditions. Some common Thyroid Antibody tests are - microsomal antibodies, thyroglobulin antibodies, thyroid receptor antibodies, and thyroid-blocking immunoglobulin.

·         Calcitonin - It helps diagnose rare thyroid disorders, such as C-cell hyperplasia and medullary thyroid cancer.

·         Thyroglobulin - This test helps diagnose thyroid inflammation or thyroiditis and monitor treatment for thyroid cancer.

Non-blood test

In addition, your doctor may also perform the following non-blood test.

Radioactive Iodine Uptake - Since T4 contains iodine, your thyroid gland must pull a large amount of iodine from your blood to produce T4. In this test, the patient must swallow a small amount of radioactive iodine. This radioactivity allows your doctor to track its movement. Radioactive Iodine Uptake (RAIU) measures the amount of radioactivity the thyroid gland takes to determine whether it is functioning normally. Patients with hyperthyroidism will experience a higher RAIU, while hypothyroid patients will notice the opposite. In addition, your doctor may also perform a thyroid scan to check which part of the thyroid gland has taken the iodine.

Therefore, your doctor at a medical clinic in Nashville will perform the tests mentioned above to check the functioning of your thyroid gland. In this regard, you must know that medications such as estrogens or biotin can interfere with thyroid function test results. Hence, you should inform your doctor about the medications and supplements you take and follow their advice.

Location: Nashville, TN, USA

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