Medicine ��� Divisions

 

Thyroid Disease

Screening is "the application of a test to detect a potential disease or condition in a person who has no known signs or symptoms of that condition at the time the test is done". Screening with thyroid function tests can identify clinically inapparent subclinical thyroid dysfunction. Subclinical hypothyroidism is diagnosed when a patient has an elevated thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) level as determined by a sensitive TSH test and a normal thyroxine level. Subclinical hyperthyroidism is diagnosed when a patient has an undetectable TSH level and a normal thyroxine level. Screening also detects overt thyroid dysfunction, which is diagnosed when a patient has an elevated TSH level and a low thyroxine level (overt hypothyroidism) or an undetectable TSH level and an elevated thyroxine level (overt hyperthyroidism).

Campus Resources :

• University Hospital
• Studies in progress

References :

Screening for Thyroid Disease Annals of Internal Medicine, 15 July 1998. 129:141-143. Summary and Algorithm

Screening for Thyroid Disease : An Update : Annals of Internal Medicine, 15 July 1998. 129:144-158.