Thyroid stimulating immunoglobulins

A thyroid antibody test measures the level of thyroid antibodies in a sample of your blood to check for an autoimmune thyroid disease. Your thyroid is a small, butterfly-shaped gland in your neck. It makes hormones that control many activities in your body, including your heart rate and how fast you burn calories from food.

Your provider may use thyroid antibody tests if other tests have shown that you have hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism. These tests usually look for T3, T4, and TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone). If any of these tests come back with results that show your levels are too high or too low, your provider may then use thyroid antibody tests to see if an autoimmune disease is causing the problem.