Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH)

This is a single-marker test measuring thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH). It can be ordered as part of a custom panel.

Ordering The Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) Test From Boston Heart

TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone) is the hormonal signal sent from the pituitary gland to the thyroid to tell the thyroid how much hormone to synthesize and release.

TSH is part of a sensitive hormonal feedback loop and is the most common thyroid test ordered by physicians.

The Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) test is a blood test commonly performed to determine the TSH levels and whether the thyroid gland is working correctly.

TSH Reference Ranges

The ideal TSH can vary widely based on a person’s age, gender, and stage of life.

The conventional reference range provided by most labs is around 0.45-4.12 mlU/L.

Yet there is growing consensus that a narrower TSH range of 0.5 to 2.5 mlU/L may be more optimal for most healthy adults.

Which Patients is the TSH Test From Boston Heart Best Used For?

A physician may request a TSH test to determine the hormone levels, which will provide information about whether an individual’s thyroid gland is functioning normally.

The TSH test is usually requested with other thyroid tests, like the free T3, the free T4, and the anti-TPO antibody.

The blood TSH test may be used to:

• Diagnose an under active or overactive thyroid gland
• To screen for thyroid disease before any symptoms
• To screen for thyroid disease based on symptoms
• To evaluate a thyroid nodule or thyroid enlargement
• To diagnose or rule out thyroid diseases
• To monitor a patient’s response to a thyroid hormone treatment

*Note: Please be advised that Boston Heart Diagnostics policy states that practitioners are unable to order labs on themselves or their immediate family members.