Is it all about the range?

[Souzy]

Hi everyone

I was just reading up on thyroid globulin antibodies as I had a test done by Medichecks in Aug 2022 which had me within normal range and I was wondering whether people without thyroid problems had these antibodies too.

Thyroid Globulin Antibodies (TgAb) 48IU/L (reference <115)

Reading about the test I noticed that South Tees Hospital NHS has a reference range of <40 IU/L (in which case I'd be slightly above range). But then I remembered how important it is to put ranges on blood tests here. If I took a test within the NHS would I have less antibodies - or do they count them differently?

Just curious really as to what can cause such a difference in ranges when the same units are used.

Thanks.

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Souzy

Labs don't all have the same testing equipment. If different equipment is used it might be calibrated differently and the ranges set with different parameters. It's quite likely that different NHS hospitals have different ranges for antibodies just like they do for the basic thyroid function tests, ie TSH, FT4 and FT3. So if you took an NHS test you wouldn't have less antibodies, your result would just be appropriate for that range.

[Souzy in reply to SeasideSusie]

Great explanation, really understandable, thanks SeasideSusie 😊