Thyroid disorders explained

Diagnosing thyroid disorders
To make the diagnosis in cases of thyroid disorder, your doctor will first ask about symptoms and then examine you, paying particular attention to your neck. He or she will probably perform one or more investigations, some of which will involve a referral to a hospital specialist.

Blood tests
In cases of hypo- and hyperthyroidism there is an abnormal level of thyroid hormone circulating in the blood. Diagnosis of these conditions largely depends on a series of blood tests to measure levels of:

If hypothyroidism is suspected based on the presence of several symptoms, a diagnosis can be confirmed if your thyroid hormone (T3 and T4) levels are low to normal and your TSH is high. Antithyroid antibodies may suggest Hashimoto's thyroiditis as the cause.

If hyperthyroidism is suspected based on the presence of several symptoms, a diagnosis can be confirmed if your thyroid hormone (T3 and T4) levels are high and your TSH is low. To determine if Graves' disease is the cause, your doctor can check your blood for thyroid stimulating antibodies or give you a radioactive iodine uptake test.