Test Catalog

Test Id : HTG2

Thyroglobulin, Tumor Marker, Serum

Useful For
Suggests clinical disorders or settings where the test may be helpful

Follow-up of patients with differentiated thyroid cancers after thyroidectomy and radioactive iodine ablation

Highlights

All specimens are screened for the presence of autoantibodies to thyroglobulin.

Method Name
A short description of the method used to perform the test

Immunoenzymatic Assay

NY State Available
Indicates the status of NY State approval and if the test is orderable for NY State clients.

Yes

Reporting Name
Lists a shorter or abbreviated version of the Published Name for a test

Thyroglobulin, Tumor Marker

Aliases
Lists additional common names for a test, as an aid in searching

Anti Thyroglobulin Antibody

HTG (Human Thyroglobulin)

TATC (Thyroglobulin Assay for Thy Cancer)

TG (Thyroglobulin)

Thyroglobulin Antibody

Thyroglobulin Assay for Thyroid Cancer

Thyroglobulin HTC (Human Thyro)

Specimen Type
Describes the specimen type validated for testing

Serum Red

Ordering Guidance

For accurate analysis of patients who are known to be thyroglobulin antibody positive, order TGMS / Thyroglobulin Mass Spectrometry, Serum.

Specimen Required
Defines the optimal specimen required to perform the test and the preferred volume to complete testing

Patient Preparation: For 12 hours before specimen collection do not take multivitamins or dietary supplements containing biotin (vitamin B7), which is commonly found in hair, skin, and nail supplements and multivitamins.

Collection Container/Tube: Red top (serum gel/SST are not acceptable)

Submission Container/Tube: Plastic vial

Specimen Volume: 1 mL

Collection Instructions: Centrifuge and aliquot serum into a plastic vial.

Forms

If not ordering electronically, complete, print, and send 1 of the following forms with the specimen:

-General Request (T239)

-Oncology Test Request (T729)

Specimen Minimum Volume
Defines the amount of sample necessary to provide a clinically relevant result as determined by the Testing Laboratory

0.5 mL

Reject Due To
Identifies specimen types and conditions that may cause the specimen to be rejected

Gross hemolysis Reject
Gross lipemia OK
Gross icterus Reject

Specimen Stability Information
Provides a description of the temperatures required to transport a specimen to the performing laboratory, alternate acceptable temperatures are also included

Specimen Type Temperature Time Special Container
Serum Red Refrigerated (preferred) 7 days
Frozen 30 days
Ambient 7 days

Useful For
Suggests clinical disorders or settings where the test may be helpful

Follow-up of patients with differentiated thyroid cancers after thyroidectomy and radioactive iodine ablation

Clinical Information
Discusses physiology, pathophysiology, and general clinical aspects, as they relate to a laboratory test

Thyroglobulin (Tg) is a thyroid-specific glycoprotein (approximately 660 kDa) that serves as the source for thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3) production within the lumen of thyroid follicles. For T4 and T3 release, Tg is reabsorbed into thyrocytes and proteolytically degraded, liberating T4 and T3 for secretion.

 

Small amounts of intact Tg are secreted alongside T4 and T3 and are detectable in the serum of healthy individuals, with levels roughly paralleling thyroid size (0.5-1.0 ng/mL Tg per gram thyroid tissue, depending on thyroid-stimulating hormone: TSH level). In situations of disordered thyroid growth (eg, goiter), increased thyroid activity (eg, Graves disease), or glandular destruction (eg, thyroiditis) larger amounts of Tg may be released into the circulation.

 

Clinically, the main use of serum Tg measurements is in the follow-up of differentiated follicular cell-derived thyroid carcinoma. Because Tg is thyroid-specific, serum Tg concentrations should be undetectable, or very low, after the thyroid gland is removed during treatment for thyroid cancer.

 

Current clinical guidelines consider a serum Tg of more than 1 ng/mL in an athyrotic individual as suspicious of possible residual or recurrent disease. To improve diagnostic accuracy, it is recommended this measurement be initially obtained after TSH stimulation, either following thyroid hormone withdrawal or after injection of recombinant human TSH. Most patients will have a relatively low risk of recurrence and will thereafter only require unstimulated Tg measurement.

 

If unstimulated (on thyroxine) serum Tg measurements are less than 0.1 to 0.2 ng/mL, the risk of disease is below 1%. Patients with higher Tg levels who have no demonstrable remnant of thyroid tissue might require additional testing, such as further stimulated Tg measurements, neck ultrasound, or isotope imaging. A stimulated Tg above 2 ng/mL is considered suspicious.

 

The presence of antithyroglobulin autoantibodies (TgAb), which occur in 15% to 30% of thyroid cancer patients, could lead to misleading Tg results. In immunometric assays, the presence of TgAb can lead to false-low results, whereas, it might lead to false-high results in competitive assays.

 

Traditionally, there have been no reliable means to obtain accurate Tg measurements in patients with TgAb. However, recently trypsin digestion of serum proteins, which cuts both antibodies and Tg into predictable fragments, has allowed accurate quantification of Tg in samples with antibody interferences through measurement of Tg by mass spectrometry. See TGMS / Thyroglobulin Mass Spectrometry, Serum for accurate analysis of patients who are known to be TgAb positive. If TgAb status is unknown, see HTGR / Thyroglobulin, Tumor Marker Reflex, Serum. When HTGR is ordered, TgAb testing is performed first. If TgAb is negative (<1.8 IU/mL), Tg is assayed by immunoassay (sensitive down to 0.1 ng/mL). If TgAb is positive, Tg is assayed by mass spectrometry (sensitive down to 0.2 ng/mL).

Reference Values
Describes reference intervals and additional information for interpretation of test results. May include intervals based on age and sex when appropriate. Intervals are Mayo-derived, unless otherwise designated. If an interpretive report is provided, the reference value field will state this.

THYROGLOBULIN, TUMOR MARKER

Athyrotic: <0.1 ng/mL

Intact thyroid < or =33 ng/mL

 

THYROGLOBULIN ANTIBODY

<1.8 IU/mL

Reference values apply to all ages.

Interpretation
Provides information to assist in interpretation of the test results

Current guidelines recommend measurement of thyroglobulin (Tg) with a sensitive immunoassay (limit of quantification <1.0 ng/mL); for measurements of unstimulated Tg, the detection limit should be in the 0.1 to 0.2 ng/mL range.

 

In all cases, serum thyroglobulin autoantibodies (TgAb) should also be measured, preferably with a method that allows detection of low concentrations of TgAb. If TgAb are detected, the laboratory report should alert the ordering provider to the possibility of false-low Tg results if using an immunometric assay. If the apparent Tg concentration is below 1.0 ng/mL, the sample should be remeasured by mass spectrometry. This will allow accurate detection of Tg, in the presence of TgAb, down to 0.2 ng/mL (risk of residual/recurrent disease <1%-3%).

 

Samples from patients with Tg concentrations above 1.0 ng/mL might not require Tg measurement by mass spectrometry because current guidelines suggest further workup might be necessary above this threshold. However, the positive predictive value for residual/recurrent disease is modest when Tg is just above this threshold (3%-25%) in athyrotic patients. Above 10 ng/mL, the risk of residual/recurrent disease is at least 25%, with many studies showing 60% to above 90% risks. In selected patients, therefore, it might also be useful to test TgAb positive samples by mass spectrometry, even if the Tg concentration is above 1.0 ng/mL but not above the 10 ng/mL threshold. These considerations are even more relevant in patients with a known thyroid remnant of a few grams, who may always have serum Tg concentrations of 1.0 to 10 ng/mL, owing to remnant Tg secretion, regardless of the presence or absence of residual/recurrent cancer.

 

It has been determined that the presence of antithyroglobulin autoantibodies (TgAb) in serum can lead to underestimation of Tg concentration by immunometric methods. When TgAb are present in samples with detectable Tg, the Tg values may be underestimated by up to 60% in immunoassays. In addition, approximately 20% of specimens containing TgAb, which are negative for Tg by immunoassay, tested positive by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. Therefore, measuring Tg by mass spectrometry is the preferred method in TgAb positive patients.

 

The decision levels listed below are for thyroid cancer follow up of athyrotic patients and apply to unstimulated and stimulated thyroglobulin measurements. Decision levels are based on best practice guidelines and the literature, which includes Mayo Clinic studies.

 

Decision levels have not been established, but are likely to be somewhat higher, for thyroid cancer patients who are not completely athyrotic (ie, patient has some remnant normal thyroid tissue); remnant normal thyroid tissue contributes to serum Tg concentrations 0.5 to 1.0 ng/mL per gram of remnant tissue, depending on the thyrotropin (TSH) level.

 

Tg <0.1 ng/mL: Tg levels must be interpreted in the context of TSH levels, serial Tg measurements, and radioiodine ablation status. Tg levels below 0.1 ng/mL in athyrotic individuals on suppressive therapy indicate a minimal risk (<1%-2%) of clinically detectable recurrent papillary/follicular thyroid cancer.

 

Tg > or =0.1 to 2.0 ng/mL: Tg levels must be interpreted in the context of TSH levels, serial Tg measurements, and radioiodine ablation status. Tg levels 0.1 to 2.0 ng/mL in athyrotic individuals on suppressive therapy indicate a low risk of clinically detectable recurrent papillary/follicular thyroid cancer.

 

Tg 2.1 to 9.9 ng/mL: Tg levels must be interpreted in the context of TSH levels, serial Tg measurements, and radioiodine ablation status. Tg levels 2.1 to 9.9 ng/mL in athyrotic individuals on suppressive therapy indicate an increased risk of clinically detectable recurrent papillary/follicular thyroid cancer.

 

Tg > or =10 ng/mL: Tg levels must be interpreted in the context of TSH levels, serial Tg measurements, and radioiodine ablation status. Tg levels 10 ng/mL or above in athyrotic individuals on suppressive therapy indicate a significant risk (>25%) of clinically detectable recurrent papillary/follicular thyroid cancer.

Cautions
Discusses conditions that may cause diagnostic confusion, including improper specimen collection and handling, inappropriate test selection, and interfering substances

The test is most sensitive for detection of thyroid cancer recurrence when patients are off thyroid replacement long enough to have an elevated thyrotropin (TSH) prior to collecting the specimen. This test also can be used to follow patients with normal TSH; however, thyroglobulin (Tg) values from specimens with high TSH should not be compared with values with normal TSH, because TSH stimulation changes the baseline determinations.

 

Thyroglobulin autoantibodies (TgAb) may interfere with the measurement of Tg. All specimens are prescreened for TgAb, and a comment appended to the report if they are present. Undetectable levels of Tg should be interpreted with caution if TgAb are present. A Tg antibody result of less than 1.8 IU/mL is unlikely to cause clinically significant Tg assay interference. It is recommended that the Tg result be reviewed for concordance with clinical presentation.

 

In rare cases, some individuals can develop antibodies to mouse or other animal antibodies (often referred to as human anti-mouse antibodies [HAMA] or heterophile antibodies), which may cause interference in some immunoassays. Caution should be used in interpretation of results, and the laboratory should be alerted if the result does not correlate with the clinical presentation.

 

Specimens with Tg concentrations greater than 250,000 ng/mL may "hook" and appear to have markedly lower levels.

 Tg and TgAb values determined by different methodologies might vary significantly and cannot be directly compared with one another. Some patients might be antibody-positive by some methods and antibody-negative by others. Comparing values from different methods might lead to erroneous clinical interpretation.

Clinical Reference
Recommendations for in-depth reading of a clinical nature

1. Grebe SKG: Diagnosis and management of thyroid carcinoma: a focus on serum thyroglobulin. Exp Rev Endocrinol Metab. 2009;4(1):25-43. doi: 10.1586/17446651.4.1.25

2. American Thyroid Association (ATA) Guidelines Taskforce on Thyroid Nodules and Differentiated Thyroid Cancer, Cooper DS, Doherty GM, et al: Revised American Thyroid Association management guidelines for patients with thyroid nodules and differentiated thyroid cancer. Thyroid. 2009 Nov;19(11):1167-1214. doi: 10.1089/thy.2009.0110

3. Pacini F, Catagana MG, Brilli L, et al: Thyroid cancer: ESMO Clinical Practice Guidelines for diagnosis, treatment and follow-up. Ann Oncol. 2010 May;21 Suppl 5:v214-9. doi: 10.1093/annonc/mdq190

4. National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines for treatment of cancer by site: version 2.2022: Thyroid Carcinoma. Accessed March 20, 2023. Available at www.nccn.org/professionals/physician_gls/default.aspx#site

5. Tuttle, RM: Serum thyroglobulin in the management of differentiated thyroid cancer. Updated July 15, 2021. Accessed March 20, 2023. Available at www.uptodate.com/contents/differentiated-thyroid-cancer-role-of-serum-thyroglobulin

Method Description
Describes how the test is performed and provides a method-specific reference

The Beckman Coulter Unicel DxI 800 is used for both thyroglobulin tumor marker and thyroglobulin antibody testing.

 

The Access Thyroglobulin (Tg) assay is a simultaneous 1-step immunoenzymatic (sandwich) assay. A sample is added to a reaction vessel, along with a biotinylated mixture of 4 monoclonal anti-Tg antibodies, streptavidin-coated paramagnetic particles, and monoclonal anti-Tg antibody alkaline phosphatase conjugate. The biotinylated antibodies and the serum Tg bind to the solid phase, while the conjugate antibody reacts with a different antigenic site on the Tg molecule. After incubation in a reaction vessel, materials bound to the solid phase are held in a magnetic field while unbound materials are washed away. Then, the chemiluminescent substrate Lumi-Phos 530 is added to the vessel, and light generated by the reaction is measured with a luminometer. The light production is directly proportional to the concentration of Tg in the sample.(Package insert: Access Thyroglobulin. Beckman Coulter Inc; 06/2021)

 

The Access Thyroglobulin Antibody II assay (TgAb) is a sequential 2-step immunoenzymatic (sandwich) assay. A sample is added to a reaction vessel with paramagnetic particles coated with the thyroglobulin protein. The serum TgAb binds to the thyroglobulin. After incubation in a reaction vessel, materials bound to the solid phase are held in place by a magnetic field, while unbound materials are washed away. The thyroglobulin-alkaline phosphatase conjugate is added and binds to the TgAb. After the second incubation, materials bound to the solid phase are held in place by a magnetic field, while unbound materials are washed away. Then, the chemiluminescent substrate, Lumi-Phos 530 is added to the reaction vessel, and light generated by the reaction is measured with a luminometer. The light production is directly proportional to the concentration of thyroglobulin antibody in the sample.(Package insert: Access Thyroglobulin Antibody II. Beckman Coulter Inc; 04/2020)

PDF Report
Indicates whether the report includes an additional document with charts, images or other enriched information

No

Day(s) Performed
Outlines the days the test is performed. This field reflects the day that the sample must be in the testing laboratory to begin the testing process and includes any specimen preparation and processing time before the test is performed. Some tests are listed as continuously performed, which means that assays are performed multiple times during the day.

Monday through Saturday

Report Available
The interval of time (receipt of sample at Mayo Clinic Laboratories to results available) taking into account standard setup days and weekends. The first day is the time that it typically takes for a result to be available. The last day is the time it might take, accounting for any necessary repeated testing.

1 to 3 days

Specimen Retention Time
Outlines the length of time after testing that a specimen is kept in the laboratory before it is discarded

12 months

Performing Laboratory Location
Indicates the location of the laboratory that performs the test

Rochester

Fees
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Test Classification
Provides information regarding the medical device classification for laboratory test kits and reagents. Tests may be classified as cleared or approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and used per manufacturer instructions, or as products that do not undergo full FDA review and approval, and are then labeled as an Analyte Specific Reagent (ASR) product.

This test has been cleared, approved, or is exempt by the US Food and Drug Administration and is used per manufacturer's instructions. Performance characteristics were verified by Mayo Clinic in a manner consistent with CLIA requirements.

CPT Code Information
Provides guidance in determining the appropriate Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) code(s) information for each test or profile. The listed CPT codes reflect Mayo Clinic Laboratories interpretation of CPT coding requirements. It is the responsibility of each laboratory to determine correct CPT codes to use for billing.

CPT codes are provided by the performing laboratory.

84432

86800

LOINC® Information
Provides guidance in determining the Logical Observation Identifiers Names and Codes (LOINC) values for the order and results codes of this test. LOINC values are provided by the performing laboratory.

Test Id Test Order Name Order LOINC Value
HTG2 Thyroglobulin, Tumor Marker 57780-9
Result Id Test Result Name Result LOINC Value
Applies only to results expressed in units of measure originally reported by the performing laboratory. These values do not apply to results that are converted to other units of measure.
TGAB2 Thyroglobulin Antibody, S 56536-6
HTGN2 Thyroglobulin, Tumor Marker, S 3013-0
HTG2I Thyroglobulin Interpretation 69053-7

Test Setup Resources

Setup Files
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Sample Reports
Normal and Abnormal sample reports are provided as references for report appearance.

Normal Reports | Abnormal Reports

SI Sample Reports
International System (SI) of Unit reports are provided for a limited number of tests. These reports are intended for international account use and are only available through MayoLINK accounts that have been defined to receive them.

SI Normal Reports | SI Abnormal Reports