Thyroid

If you are suspected of having a thyroid problem, there are a number of tests and procedures your doctor may perform to determine the condition and proper treatment. A thyroid problem is caused by a lack of or too much of a particular hormone created by the thyroid. The thyroid is critical to the proper functioning of a person’s metabolism, among other things.

Hyperthyroidism, or an overactive thyroid, is caused by the overproduction of thyroxine by the thyroid. To determine that you have an overactive thyroid, a doctor will review your medical history and perform a physical exam along with a couple of targeted tests to understand the thyroid’s hormone levels. The doctor will also look for physical symptoms associated with an overactive thyroid like a trembling in the hands, abnormalities in the eyes and moist skin.

After the physical exam, the doctor will likely perform a couple of blood tests. The blood tests will determine the levels of thyroxine and TSH in your blood. TSH, or release thyroid-simulating hormone, is produced by the pituitary gland and is the signal for the thyroid to produce thyroxine in the body. The blood tests will show the hormone levels and indicate if there is a imbalance, either more or not enough thyroxine, being produced by the thyroid gland.

Next the doctor will perform some tests to determine the reason why your thyroid is not performing at a normal level. The presence of iodine is a factor in thyroxine production. The thyroid utilizes iodine to develop the thyroxine hormone, so therefore an abnormally high level of iodine may indicate a thyroid problem. A doctor may perform a radioactive iodine uptake test. What happens in this test is that the patient is given an oral dose of radioactive iodine. The thyroid stores iodine for its hormone production. The doctor will check our iodine level at certain time increments over a 24-hour period to measure the amount of iodine the thyroid has soaked in. If your tests show a high amount of iodine, your thyroid problem can be linked to a production of too much thyroxine. There is no pain associated with this test, but the patient is exposed to a small amount of radiation.

Doctors have linked too much thyroxine in the body to a condition called Graves’ disease or hyperfunctioning nodules. Graves’ disease is an autoimmune disease where antibodies are mistakenly attacked. The attacking of antibodies in the thyroid causes inflammation and an overproduction of thyroxine.

Another test doctors may perform in determining your thyroid problem is a thyroid scan. In this procedure, a radioactive isotope is injected into a vein in the inside of your elbow or in your hand. The isotope acts like a camera, as you lie on your back and an image is captured of your thyroid. The procedure time varies depending on how long it takes the isotope to attain a proper image of your thyroid gland. Like the radioactive iodine test, there is minimal pain involved, but exposure to a small amount of radiation. Naturally, you may have some mild pain in the neck area from the isotope.

Additionally, a doctor may suggest a thyroid peroxidase (TPO) antibody test. TPO also works to produce thyroid hormones. TPO is an enzyme found in the thyroid gland. The test will show if antibodies are working against TPO in the blood, which is another cause for trouble with the thyroid. Again, presence of these antibodies can show a connection to an autoimmune disease like Graves’ disease. This test is often done for pregnant women with thyroid problems. Disorders like Graves’ are linked to genetic predisposition. A TPO antibody test could indicate whether your baby is at risk of having thyroid problems.