Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 8, 2026

Generation of a Mouse Spontaneous Autoimmune Thyroiditis Model
Published on: March 17, 2023
Comparison of some different methods for analysis of thyroid autoantibodies: importance of thyroglobulin
B Lindberg1, J Svensson, U B Ericsson
1Department of Pediatrics, University of Lund, University Hospital, Malmö, Sweden. bengt.lindberg@pediatrik.mas.lu.se
Abstract:
Blood samples from 141 children and adolescents were used to evaluate differences between commercial kits and radioimmunoassay (RIA) methods for detecting thyroid autoantibodies. Thyroglobulin autoantibodies (Tg-Ab) were analyzed with a hemagglutination kit and a RIA; thyroid peroxidase autoantibodies (TPO-Ab) were measured with a gelagglutination assay and a RIA. The results of the antibody tests were compared with thyroid function tests (triiodothyronine [T3], thyroxine [T4], thyrotropin [TSH]) and with the results of ultrasound of the thyroid in antibody-positive patients. The correlation of antibody levels between the two methods was higher for TPO-Ab than for Tg-Ab. Moderate to high levels of TPO-Ab correlated to elevated TSH levels. Autoimmune thyroiditis (AIT) was found in 6 of the 141 children. The RIA-based thyroglobulin assay was the only test that identified autoantibodies in all 6 cases. In contrast, the hemagglutination kit thyroglobulin assay failed to identify 4 of the 6 AIT cases.
Related Concept Videos
Graves' Disease I: Introduction
Hyperthyroidism II: Pathophysiology
Graves Disease II: Pathophysiology
Synthesis and Regulation of Thyroid Hormones
Upon reaching the thyroid gland, TSH stimulates the follicular cells' active uptake of iodide ions from the blood. The ions diffuse to the apical surface of the cells and are oxidized to iodine. The iodine is then...
Hyperthyroidism I: Introduction
Goiter
