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What Do We Measure in a Thyroid Profile?

Author -  <a href='https://www.medindia.net/content-team/dr-deeksha-acharya.asp' target='_blank'>Dr. Deeksha Acharya, MBBS</a>
Medically Reviewed by <a href='https://www.medindia.net/medical-review-team/dr-sunil-shroff.asp' target='_blank'>Dr. Sunil Shroff, MBBS, MS, FRCS (UK), D. Urol (Lond)</a> on Dec 07, 2020
Medically Reviewed by Dr. Sunil Shroff, MBBS, MS, FRCS (UK), D. Urol (Lond) on Dec 07, 2020


What do we Measure in a Thyroid Profile?

It is important to know that most of the T4 & T3 found in our blood are bound to a protein. But only the Freeform that is not bound, can carry out the functions in various organs. There are instances when the levels of these proteins can change in our blood. This can happen during pregnancy and in women taking birth control pills when the amount of these binding proteins increase. This results in the less available free form of T4 and T3 in the blood.


A high level of TSH means that the thyroid gland is not producing enough hormone, this is called Primary Hypothyroidism. Sometimes there is a problem in the pituitary gland, which can also lead to a low TSH. This is a Secondary Hypothyroidism.

There are also some additional tests to check the health of the thyroid gland in certain conditions-

Normal Values of a Thyroid Profile
  1. TSH- 0.4 to 4 mU/L
  2. Free T4- 9-25 picomoles/L
  3. Free T3- 3.5- 7.8 picomoles/liter
  4. Microsomal thyroid antibodies(TPO)- 0.0-5.0 IU/ml

Diagnosis of Thyroid Disease

OVERT HYPERTHYROIDISM

TSH LEVEL THYROID HORMONES

<0.1 mIU/L or undetectable

Elevated T4 or T3

OVERT HYPOTHYROIDISM

>4.5 mIU/L

Low T4

SUBCLINICAL HYPERTHYROIDISM

<0.1 mIU/L

Normal T4 and T3

0.1-0.4 mIU/L

Normal T4 and T3

SUBCLINICAL HYPOTHYROIDISM

4.5-10.0 mIU/L

Normal T4

≥10 mIU/L

Normal T4

Table indicating the Thyroid Conditions &Various Levels of Thyroid Hormones(3)

References:

  1. Thyroid Function Tests - (https://www.thyroid.org/thyroid-function-tests/)
  2. Information About - Thyroid Function Tests - (https://www.btf-thyroid.org/thyroid-function-tests)
  3. Thyroid Dysfunction: Screening - (https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/document/evidence-summary7/thyroid-dysfunction-screening#table-1-classification-of-thyroid-dysfunction-biochemical-definition)
  4. Clinical Thyroidology for Patients - (https://www.thyroid.org/patient-thyroid-information/ct-for-patients/vol-3-issue-11/vol-3-issue-11-p-9-10/)
  5. Dietary Goitrogens - (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK285556/table/tyd-iodine-deficienc.goitrogenm/)
  6. Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) - (https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hypothyroidism/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20350289)
  7. Nair R, Mahadevan S, Muralidharan RS, Madhavan S. Does fasting or postprandial state affect thyroid function testing? Indian J EndocrinolMetab. 2014 Sep;18(5):705-7. DOI:10.4103/2230-8210.139237. PMID: 25285290; PMCID: PMC4171896

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