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TEST ID TGMS Thyroglobulin Mass Spectrometry, Serum

Reporting Name

Thyroglobulin, Mass Spec., S

Specimen Type

Serum Red


Specimen Required


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

Submission Container/Tube: Plastic vial

Specimen Volume: 1.25 mL

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


Specimen Minimum Volume

0.75 mL

Specimen Stability Information

Specimen Type Temperature Time Special Container
Serum Red Refrigerated (preferred) 7 days
  Frozen  416 days
  Ambient  72 hours

Method Name

Tryptic Protein Fragmentation, purified with Immunocapture, Analysis by Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS/MS)

(This service is performed pursuant to an agreement with SISCAPA Assay Technologies Inc. covering US Patent 7,632,686)

Reject Due To

Gross hemolysis Reject
Gross lipemia OK
Gross icterus OK

Reference Values

Healthy individuals with intact, functioning thyroid: ≤33 ng/mL

The reference ranges listed below, however, are for thyroid cancer follow up of athyrotic patients and apply to unstimulated and stimulated thyroglobulin (Tg) measurements. Ranges are based on best practice guidelines and the literature, which includes Mayo Clinic studies, and represent clinical decision levels.

 

Decision levels for thyroid cancer patients, who are not completely athyrotic (ie, patient has some remnant normal thyroid tissue), have not been established, but are likely to be somewhat higher: remnant normal thyroid tissue contributes to serum Tg concentrations 0.2-1.0 ng/mL per gram of remnant tissue, depending on the thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) level.

 

Tg <0.2 ng/mL: Tg levels must be interpreted in the context of TSH levels, serial Tg measurements, and radioiodine ablation status. Undetectable Tg levels in athyrotic individuals on suppression therapy indicate a minimal risk (<1%-2%) of clinically detectable recurrent papillary/follicular thyroid cancer.

 

Tg ≥0.2 ng/mL 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 of 0.2-2.0 ng/mL in athyrotic individuals on suppressive therapy indicate a low risk of clinically detectable recurrent papillary/follicular thyroid cancer.

 

Tg 2.1 ng/mL 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 of 2.1-9.9 ng/mL in athyrotic individuals on suppression therapy indicate an increased risk of clinically detectable recurrent papillary/follicular thyroid cancer.

 

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

Day(s) Performed

Monday through Friday

Report Available

3 to 6 days

Specimen Retention Time

14 months

Performing Laboratory

Mayo Clinic Laboratories in Rochester

CPT Code Information

84432

Forms

If not ordering electronically, complete, print, and send an Oncology Test Request (T729) with the specimen.

Useful For

Accurate measurement of serum thyroglobulin (Tg) in patients with known or suspected antithyroglobulin autoantibodies (TgAb) or heterophile antibodies (HAb)

 

Reflex testing of samples with previously unknown TgAb status that prove TgAb positive during immunoassay testing

 

Assisting in the differential diagnosis of early phase silent thyroiditis versus Graves' disease in patients without thyroid cancer (the mass spectrometry-based method would only be required if these patients have TgAb or HAb)