Clinic appointment
Advanced Thyroid Check with Antibodies
A full thyroid panel: TSH, total and free T4, free T3, and two antibodies that can point to an immune reaction against the thyroid gland.
- Doctor-reviewed results
- Laboratory analysis
- 1 to 2 working days from lab receipt
- No fasting required
What’s included
6 markers measured
Total T4
Total thyroxine (T4), a thyroid hormone. UK primary care guidance does not recommend measuring total T4 routinely when hypothyroidism is suspected: thyroid function is usually checked with TSH, adding free T4 (FT4) when TSH is raised.
TSH
Thyroid-stimulating hormone, released by the pituitary gland to prompt the thyroid to make T4 and T3. Thyroid hormone levels feed back to control it, so a TSH above the normal range points to an underactive thyroid, especially when free T4 is low.
Free T3
Free T3 (triiodothyronine) is one of the main hormones made by the thyroid, checked alongside TSH and T4 in a thyroid function test. A low TSH with high T3 and/or T4 usually points to an overactive thyroid.
Free T4
Free thyroxine (FT4), one of the main thyroid hormones. It is read alongside TSH, the pituitary hormone that controls thyroid hormone production: a low TSH with a raised T3 or T4 usually points to an overactive thyroid. What counts as normal varies with age and laboratory method.
Thyroglobulin antibodies
Another antibody the immune system can make against the thyroid. It is usually read alongside thyroid peroxidase antibodies, the main thyroid antibody test in UK guidance.
Thyroid peroxidase antibodies
Thyroid peroxidase antibodies (TPOAb) are a type of thyroid autoantibody. Raised levels suggest autoimmune disease as the cause of an underactive thyroid. In mildly underactive (subclinical) hypothyroidism, a positive result means a higher chance of progressing to full hypothyroidism. Repeat testing is not usually needed.
Overview
The widest thyroid picture we sell: TSH, total and free T4, free T3, and the two antibodies that can point to an immune reaction against the thyroid gland. People may choose it after a previous thyroid result came back borderline or unexpected, or when there is autoimmune thyroid disease in the family and they want the antibody question covered in the same appointment.
The widest thyroid picture available here: a doctor uses the antibody results alongside the hormone levels when working out whether an immune process is involved.
Who this is for and who it isn’t
Who it’s for
- Adults aged 18 and over
- Anyone with a slightly raised TSH who wants to know whether it is autoimmune
- Women planning a pregnancy with thyroid disease in the family
Who it isn’t for
- Antibody results are supporting information a doctor reads alongside the hormone levels and your symptoms. A positive antibody result can also occur in people whose thyroid works normally, and by itself does not mean the thyroid is not working properly. If you are already under a specialist for a thyroid condition, they will have their own monitoring plan.
- Anyone with a new, severe or worsening symptom: contact your GP or call NHS 111. A test you buy today is not a substitute for being examined.
Common reasons people choose this test
- A previous thyroid result that was borderline or unexpected
- A close relative with an autoimmune thyroid condition
- Tiredness, weight change or feeling cold that has persisted
- A goitre or swelling at the front of the neck noticed by a doctor
- Planning a pregnancy with a family history of thyroid problems
These are reasons people choose to test, not signs that something is wrong. A result is one part of a picture your doctor puts together with your history and an examination.
What your result looks like
Every result is shown with the unit and the reference range exactly as the laboratory reported it, with the doctor’s note underneath.
- Total T4In range
- Result
- 100 nmol/L
- Range
- 66–181
- TSH▲ High
- Result
- 5.6 mIU/L
- Range
- 0.27–4.2
- Free T3In range
- Result
- 4.6 pmol/L
- Range
- 3.1–6.8
| Marker | Result | Units | Range | Flag |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total T4 | 100 | nmol/L | 66–181 | In range |
| TSH | 5.6 | mIU/L | 0.27–4.2 | ▲ High |
| Free T3 | 4.6 | pmol/L | 3.1–6.8 | In range |
Doctor’s note (example)
TSH is slightly raised with a normal free T4, a pattern doctors describe as subclinical. About half of these settle on their own, so guidelines repeat it in three months before considering treatment.
…and 3 more markers. Values above are examples. Your report shows your own results with the laboratory’s units and reference range for your age and sex, reviewed, signed and released by a GMC-registered doctor.
How it works
- You book your appointmentA trained clinician takes your sample at one of our London clinics. Nothing to do at home.
- The clinician takes your sampleA single clinic blood draw by a trained clinician
- The laboratory analyses itYour sample is processed for the measurements included in this test. Lab processing typically takes 1 to 2 working days from receipt of your sample.
- A doctor reviews and releases itA GMC-registered doctor reads every result and signs the report before it reaches you.
- Sample
- Clinic blood draw
- Preparation
- No fasting required
- Who it's for
- Any sex · ages 18+
How to prepare
What we can and can’t tell you
The reference range beside each result is the laboratory’s own. A result in range is not a clean bill of health and a result outside it is not a diagnosis. Most ranges cover about 95% of healthy people, so about 1 in 20 healthy people fall just outside any one range. No test result replaces an examination or your own doctor’s judgement, and none of these panels is a cancer screening programme.
Read the full note
The reference range printed beside each of your results is the laboratory's own, and it is the range that applies to your result. We do not apply a second range of our own, and we do not tell you that a result the laboratory reported as normal is nonetheless too low or too high. If you see a claim elsewhere that your result ought to sit inside a narrower band than the one the laboratory printed, treat it with caution and ask your doctor.
Some assays cannot give an exact figure above or below a certain point, and those results are reported the way the laboratory sends them, for example as a value greater than a stated number. A result in range is not a clean bill of health, and a result outside a range is not a diagnosis: most reference ranges are set to cover about 95% of healthy people, so some healthy people fall just outside them. No blood test replaces an examination, a scan or your own doctor's judgement, and none of these panels is a screening programme for cancer.
If you have a symptom that is new, severe, or getting worse, contact your GP or NHS 111 rather than waiting for a test result. In an emergency call 999.
Frequently asked questions
What do the antibodies actually add?
They can tell a doctor whether an immune process may be involved, which affects how a borderline hormone result is interpreted and how closely it is worth rechecking. They are context, not a verdict.
I take biotin. Does that matter?
It can. High-dose biotin, often found in hair and nail supplements, can make thyroid results falsely high or low. Tell us if you take it, and ask your pharmacist or GP whether to pause it before your sample.
How long do results take?
The laboratory typically takes 1 to 2 working days from receiving your sample. This does not include kit delivery, sample collection or return postage. A doctor reviews your results before they are released.
Can I choose a home kit or a clinic?
This test is a clinic blood draw, as it needs a venous sample for accuracy. We arrange a convenient appointment for you.
Is a doctor involved?
Yes. Every result is reviewed by a GMC-registered doctor who signs it off and explains what it means and what to do next.
Is it confidential?
Your results are available through your secure patient portal. Our privacy policy explains how your information is handled and when it may be shared to provide your care.
What happens to my sample and results?
Your sample is analysed at a UKAS-accredited laboratory (ISO 15189). A GMC-registered doctor then reads every result and signs the report before it is released, so nothing reaches you unreviewed. There is no option to receive results without a doctor reading them first. The report arrives in your secure portal in plain English: each result with its unit and the laboratory's own reference range, and the doctor's note on what the set means read together. If a result sits outside its range the report says so and explains what usually happens next, which is most often a conversation with your own GP, who can act on it alongside your history and examination. Most reference ranges are set to cover about 95% of healthy people, so about 1 in 20 healthy people fall just outside any one of them. On a report with many results it is common for one to sit just outside its range, and a single number on its own rarely tells the whole story. If a result needs urgent attention, the reviewing doctor is alerted straight away and we contact you by phone the same working day rather than leaving it in the portal for you to find. If a specific result needs rechecking, the reviewing doctor says so in your report.
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