Thyroid Cancer Blood Test And TSH Levels
If the diagnosis is papillary or follicular thyroid cancer, the thyroglobulin (Tg) is measured in the blood. Thyroglobulin is a protein that is specifically made in the thyroid gland. It is often used to monitor thyroid cancer during and after treatment.
In the diagnosis and treatment of thyroid cancer, blood tests are important. Think of TSH, T4, T3, FT4, FT3, normal values and antibodies. The TSH and FT4 are tested most frequently.
Blood decrease
A laboratory determines various values in the blood at the doctor's request.
Especially the GP often requests TSH, there are appointments with the laboratories that they automatically test the FT4 with a deviating TSH.
TSH
The thyroid gland is controlled by TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone). The pituitary gland makes this hormone. The TSH value is an indication of how the thyroid gland functions.
Hypothyroidism
If there is insufficient thyroid hormone in the body, the pituitary gland causes a lot of TSH. You also call this a slow thyroid or hypothyroidism.
Hyperthyroidism
If there is too much thyroid hormone, the pituitary gland causes little TSH. You also call this a rapid thyroid or hyperthyroidism.
T4 and T3
The thyroid gland produces two types of hormones: T4 (thyroxine) and T3 (thyronine). The hormone T4 is a kind of precursor. T3 is the active hormone. As required by the body, tissues, and cells, T4 is converted to T3. This happens among other things in the liver, the muscles, and the brain.
FT4 and FT3
The major part of the T4 and T3 hormone binds to proteins in the blood. A little bit of hormone is immediately available. This is indicated by the letter F of free = free.
FT4 = free T4 and FT3 = free T3.
Normal values
Normal values are the limit values associated with normal thyroid function (euthyroid). The physician compares a measured value to the normal values. This way he sees whether these are within the normal limits. If this value falls beyond the limits, a doctor will investigate further. If the value is within the normal values, a physician looks forward to other causes of the complaints.
Each laboratory uses its own normal values; These are stated in the results.
The most common values are:
TSH 0.4 - 4.0 mU / l
T4 64 - 154 nmol / l
FT4 8 - 26 pmol / l
T3 1.2-3.4 nmol / l
FT3 3 - 8 pmol / l
TSH and FT4 value using levothyroxine (Thyrax, Euthyrox)
Patients often feel the best at a TSH value in the low-normal area (TSH less than 2.0) and a free T4 value in the high-normal area.
One possible explanation for this is that additional T4 is required for the conversion into T3, which is otherwise produced by the thyroid gland. Furthermore, the TSH values of most healthy people are also in the low-normal area.
Antibodies TPO, Tg and TSH receptor
Often a thyroid disease is an autoimmune disease. The body makes antibodies to its own tissue. Read more about the antibodies.
Antibodies TPO, normal values in IU / ml
<60 negative
60 - 100 doubtful
> 100 positive
Antibodies Tg, normal values in IU / ml
<280 negative
280-344 dubious
> 344 positive
Antibodies to the TSH receptor, normal values in IU / l
<1.0 negative
1.0 - 1.5 dubious
> 1.5 positive
TSI and pregnancy
In Graves' hyperthyroidism now or in the past, blood must always be checked for TSI antibodies during pregnancy. That will happen until the sixth month. If TSI antibodies have been demonstrated, the check should be repeated in the last three months of pregnancy. These antibodies can pass through the placenta to the baby.
In the last three months, those antibodies can affect the thyroid function of the baby. This allows the baby to get hyperthyroidism itself. This is happily rare, at about 1 to 5% of all pregnancies of all 'Graves pregnant'. However, if it occurs, the baby is more likely to include growth and developmental disorders, a too rapid heartbeat and an excessive thyroid gland ( struma ).
A struma can give birth to birth. In this case, an intern and gynecologist must guide the pregnancy and childbirth properly.
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