ANTI TPO (THYROID PEROXIDASE) ANTIBODY
Testing for thyroid antibodies, such as thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPO), is primarily ordered to help diagnose an autoimmune thyroid disease and to distinguish it from other forms of thyroid dysfunction. Thyroid autoantibodies develop when a person's immune system mistakenly targets components of the thyroid gland or thyroid proteins, leading to chronic inflammation of the thyroid (thyroiditis), tissue damage, and/or disruption of
thyroid function.One or more of the following tests may be performed to help establish a diagnosis of and/or monitor an autoimmune thyroid disorder:Thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPO)—the most common test for autoimmune thyroid disease; it can be detected in Graves disease or Hashimoto thyroiditis.Thyroglobulin antibody (TGAb)— this antibody targets thyroglobulin, the storage form of thyroid hormones.Thyroid
stimulating hormone receptor antibodies (TSHRAb)—includes two types of autoantibodies that attach to proteins in the thyroid to which TSH normally binds (TSH receptors):Thyroid stimulating immunoglobulin (TSI) binds to receptors and promotes the production of thyroid hormones, leading to hyperthyroidism.Thyroid binding inhibitory immunoglobulin (TBII) blocks TSH from binding to receptors, blocking production of thyroid hormones and resulting in hypothyroidism.
