Biomaterial Database

Interpretation of thyroid function tests. 2001

C M Dayan

University Department of Medicine, Bristol Royal Infirmary, UK. colin.dayan@bris.ac.uk

The introduction of sensitive thyrotropin assays and free thyroid hormone measurements has simplified the interpretation of thyroid function tests. However, important pitfalls and difficult cases still exist. In this review, thyroid function test results are grouped into six different patterns. We propose that if assays for thyrotropin, free T3, and free T4 are all done, knowledge of these patterns coupled with clinical details and simple additional tests allow a diagnosis to be made in almost all cases.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D003951	Diagnostic Errors	Incorrect or incomplete diagnoses following clinical or technical diagnostic procedures.	Diagnostic Blind Spots,Errors, Diagnostic,Misdiagnosis,Blind Spot, Diagnostic,Blind Spots, Diagnostic,Diagnostic Blind Spot,Diagnostic Error,Error, Diagnostic,Misdiagnoses
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D013959	Thyroid Diseases	Pathological processes involving the THYROID GLAND.	Disease, Thyroid,Diseases, Thyroid,Thyroid Disease
D013960	Thyroid Function Tests	Blood tests used to evaluate the functioning of the thyroid gland.	Jostel's TSH Index,Jostel's Thyrotropin Index,Protein-Bound Iodine Test,SPINA-GD,SPINA-GT,Secretory Capacity of the Thyroid Gland,Sum Activity of Peripheral Deiodinases,Thyrotroph Thyroid Hormone Sensitivity Index,Thyroid Gland Function Tests,Function Test, Thyroid,Iodine Test, Protein-Bound,Jostel TSH Index,Jostel Thyrotropin Index,Jostel's TSH Indices,Jostels TSH Index,Jostels Thyrotropin Index,Protein Bound Iodine Test,Protein-Bound Iodine Tests,TSH Index, Jostel's,Test, Protein-Bound Iodine,Test, Thyroid Function,Thyroid Function Test,Thyrotropin Index, Jostel's
D015203	Reproducibility of Results	The statistical reproducibility of measurements (often in a clinical context), including the testing of instrumentation or techniques to obtain reproducible results. The concept includes reproducibility of physiological measurements, which may be used to develop rules to assess probability or prognosis, or response to a stimulus; reproducibility of occurrence of a condition; and reproducibility of experimental results.	Reliability and Validity,Reliability of Result,Reproducibility Of Result,Reproducibility of Finding,Validity of Result,Validity of Results,Face Validity,Reliability (Epidemiology),Reliability of Results,Reproducibility of Findings,Test-Retest Reliability,Validity (Epidemiology),Finding Reproducibilities,Finding Reproducibility,Of Result, Reproducibility,Of Results, Reproducibility,Reliabilities, Test-Retest,Reliability, Test-Retest,Result Reliabilities,Result Reliability,Result Validities,Result Validity,Result, Reproducibility Of,Results, Reproducibility Of,Test Retest Reliability,Validity and Reliability,Validity, Face