A 40 year old women had complaints of loss of weight, weakness and palpitations for the past 6 months. She had irregular menstrual cycle. On examination, tremors and arrhythmias were noted.
a) List the biochemical investigation needed to diagnose this case scenario. [1]
Given case is suggestive of hyperthyroidism and biochemical investigations required will be:-
- Serum TSH
- Serum free T3 and T4
- Serum total T3 and T4
- Thyroid Antibodies
b) Explain the relevance of biochemical investigations to confirm the provisional diagnosis. [4]
TFTs are the most important tests to diagnose hyperthyroidism, as they show the levels of thyroid hormones in the blood. A low TSH and a high free T4 and T3 indicate that the thyroid gland is overactive and produces too many hormones. This can confirm the diagnosis of hyperthyroidism.
Thyroid autoantibodies can help identify the cause of hyperthyroidism, as they indicate an autoimmune disorder that affects the thyroid gland.