Thyroid Function Test

Usually, TFTs are requested when the patient is thought to be suffering from overactive thyroid or hyperthyroidism or its opposite, the underactive thyroid or hypothyroidism.

Thyroid problems may need hormone replacement therapy and to check for the effectiveness of this, TFTs may also be requested to monitor the effects on the person. It is also a test that is requested whenever there is any thyroid disease present or suspected on the patient. This way, they could get factual data with the functions of the person’s thyroid glands.

Tests include the TSH, the T3 and T4 and these tests are widely used so you won’t have any problem finding hospitals that offer these tests in your city. TSH is the initial test conducted as it tests the level of TSH in the blood. If the TSH level is high that indicates that the thyroid is failing in its function or is having hypothyroidism. When TSH level is low that means the thyroid is producing too much thyroid hormone or is having hyperthyroidism.

T3 is a test to diagnose the hyperthyroidism or to determine how severe the patient’s hyperthyroidism is. A hypothyroid patient may have a normal T3 result but has high TSH and low FT4 results.

T4 is a test to determine whether the patient have hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism. The FT4 or FTI level is elevated for hyperthyroidism where as hypothyroidism shows low level of FT4 or FTI.