Clinical evaluation of serum thyroglobulin measurement using a commercial kit in the diagnosis of recurrent thyroid cancer.
The value of serum thyroglobulin assay employing a kit manufactured by Diagnostic Products Corporation in the detection of recurrence of thyroid carcinoma in patients treated by thyroidectomy and ablative therapy was assessed by clinical follow-up and radioiodine scanning of 122 patients over a 2-year period. A total of 204 specimens were analysed. The assay was found to be sensitive and highly specific for the detection of recurrent thyroid carcinoma provided that lipemic sera are clarified by ultracentrifugation prior to measurement and that results from those patients who demonstrate positive serum antithyroglobulin antibodies are excluded. The predictive value of a serum thyroglobulin level above 20 pmol/L was 96% for recurrence of thyroid carcinoma. The predictive value for non-recurrence was 98% for serum thyroglobulin levels below 10 pmol/L. The specificity and sensitivity of the assay were poor for serum thyroglobulin levels between 10 and 20 pmol/L. In recurrence-free patients, the serum thyroglobulin levels were not changed by withdrawal of thyroid replacement therapy 4-7 weeks prior to sampling.
Tokmakjian
S D
SD
Department of Biochemistry, Victoria Hospital, London, Ontario, Canada.
Haines
D S
DS
Driedger
A A
AA
D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D015228:Hypertriglyceridemia / Q000097:blood; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic; D012008:Recurrence; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013954:Thyroglobulin / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*
D001323:Autoantibodies; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic; D013954:Thyroglobulin