Thyroglobulin antibody (TAK; thyroglobulin autoantibody (TGAK); thyroglobulin-Ak; Tg-Ak) is a thyroid autoantibody that may be present in the blood in various thyroid diseases.
Thyroglobulin is a protein produced exclusively in the thyroid gland as a precursor for thyroxine and triiodothyronine.Thyroglobulin antibodies occur in destructive processes (e.g., thyroiditis, thyroid neoplasia)
The procedure
Material needed
- Blood serum
Preparation of the patient
- Not necessary
Disruptive factors
- None known
Standard values
| Normal value in IU/ml | |
| Women | < 100 |
| Men | < 60 |
Indications
- Suspected thyroid dysfunction.
Interpretation
Interpretation of increased values
- Thyroiditis Hashimoto (Hashimoto’s thyroiditis) – autoimmune disease of the thyroid gland leading to hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid).
- Thyroid carcinoma (thyroid cancer).
- Primary myxedema (atrophic autoimmune thyroiditis).
- Graves’ disease – autoimmune disease of the thyroid gland, which leads to hyperthyroidism (hyperthyroidism).
- Postpartum thyroiditis – special form of chronic thyroiditis that occurs after childbirth. Dabeientsteht a temporary hyperthyroidism (hyperthyroidism),which is followed by a temporary hypothyroidism with spontaneous healing.
- Thyroiditis de Quervain – subacute thyroiditis; rareForm of thyroiditis (with often very severe pain), which often occurs after viral infections and shows temporary symptomsof initially hyper- and later hypothyroidism (hyper- and hypothyroidism).
- Thyroid autonomy (rare).
Notice.
- Falsely low thyroglobulin antibodies may occur with elevated serum thyroglobulin levels. In such cases, thyroglobulin control testing is required.
