# New here. Question about RAIU test.



## KJAD1234 (Jul 30, 2010)

So glad to have found this discussion board!! Here is a little background...At a doctors visit, i talked to my doctor about my symptoms. Ordered blood work, only tested TSH, came back at 2, which she said is normal. Then ordered a thyroid ultrasound. Came back that thyroid was abnormally enlarged, and that the texture was also abnormal. Had a RAIU test done the other day, my uptake showed 18.3% at 4 hours, and then 38% at 24 hours. Don't know the results yet of scan, i go weds. Anybody decipher any of this for me. I know i am jumping the gun a little bit, just anxious. I have a family history of lots of thyroid problems. My dad has hashimotos, actually just got his thyroid removed, and his two sisters had thyroid cancer. Thanks.


----------



## mememe (Mar 18, 2010)

This is what I'm reading in my Cleveland Clinic book I have:

"In the United States, a normal thyroid gland picks up between 9 and 15 percent of the dose in four hours. This uptake range varies, depending on how much iodine there is in circulation, which in turn depends on how much iodine individuals consume in their diet.
If a patient has Graves' disease, a large portion of the iodine will be absorbed (typically 40 to 80 percent). But in cases of thyroiditis or accidental or intentional ingestion of thyroid hormones, the uptake will be very low (0-9 percent)."

Just by doing a google search, I've seen sites that say 25%, some say 30% @ 24 hours, but I do not know whether or not this is correct.

I hope this helps in any way. Perhaps someone else on here can give you some more insight, esp. if they've had one done. I have not. Let us know what the doctor says about it when you go for your appointment.


----------



## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

KJAD1234 said:


> So glad to have found this discussion board!! Here is a little background...At a doctors visit, i talked to my doctor about my symptoms. Ordered blood work, only tested TSH, came back at 2, which she said is normal. Then ordered a thyroid ultrasound. Came back that thyroid was abnormally enlarged, and that the texture was also abnormal. Had a RAIU test done the other day, my uptake showed 18.3% at 4 hours, and then 38% at 24 hours. Don't know the results yet of scan, i go weds. Anybody decipher any of this for me. I know i am jumping the gun a little bit, just anxious. I have a family history of lots of thyroid problems. My dad has hashimotos, actually just got his thyroid removed, and his two sisters had thyroid cancer. Thanks.


Hello and welcome to the board. Our wonderful poster mememe has been most helpful and informative. I could not do better than that.

You have piqued our interest and we will all be waiting to see what the "professional" evaluation is.

Did the doc perchance run any antibodies' tests?

Can you tell us some of your symptoms? You are wise to be on the alert since this appears to be familial.


----------



## KJAD1234 (Jul 30, 2010)

Thanks for your input!! My symptoms are, insomnia, heat intolerance, heart palpatations, muscle aches, anemia, extreme tiredness (which i am guessing is due to the insomnia), diarrehea, nervousness, anxiety.... pretty much you name it of hyper, i've got it. What bugs me alot is the not being able to get a good nights sleep part. Makes me exhausted. And I have four kids, am going to school to be an R.N. Took anatomy and phys. and when we were studying the endocrine system, talking about the thyroid, little alarms started going off in my head. My mom had always warned me, because of family history, to stay on top of it, but I never understood what a great impact these diseases can make in your life, and well being, till i actually studied it, and understood it. My moods get so up and down right around my period, my doctor diagnosed me with PMDD, and ADD. Hmmmm, makes me wonder if this could be tied in with the thyroid?? They have me on straterra, for ADD, and Klonopin for mood swings. None of it seems like it's helping. I have not felt like myself for a long long time. But I will def. post results from my appointment on Weds. This is very nice to be able to have people to talk to that know what your talking about. Thankyou.


----------



## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

KJAD1234 said:


> Thanks for your input!! My symptoms are, insomnia, heat intolerance, heart palpatations, muscle aches, anemia, extreme tiredness (which i am guessing is due to the insomnia), diarrehea, nervousness, anxiety.... pretty much you name it of hyper, i've got it. What bugs me alot is the not being able to get a good nights sleep part. Makes me exhausted. And I have four kids, am going to school to be an R.N. Took anatomy and phys. and when we were studying the endocrine system, talking about the thyroid, little alarms started going off in my head. My mom had always warned me, because of family history, to stay on top of it, but I never understood what a great impact these diseases can make in your life, and well being, till i actually studied it, and understood it. My moods get so up and down right around my period, my doctor diagnosed me with PMDD, and ADD. Hmmmm, makes me wonder if this could be tied in with the thyroid?? They have me on straterra, for ADD, and Klonopin for mood swings. None of it seems like it's helping. I have not felt like myself for a long long time. But I will def. post results from my appointment on Weds. This is very nice to be able to have people to talk to that know what your talking about. Thankyou.


Ah, ha!! And hopefully you will be "the" nurse who will aways push for your patients to have their thyroids checked.

You may wish to get some antibodies' tests if you have not. TSI would be important for you should have none; not one iota. If you do, that is the antibody responsible for hyperthyroid.

TSI (thyroid stimulating immunoglobulin),TPO (antimicrosomal antibodies) TBII (thyrotropin-binding inhibitory immunoglobulin), Thyroglobulin Ab, ANA (antinuclear antibodies), (thyroid hormone panel) TSH, Free T3, Free T4.

You can look this stuff up here and more.........
http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/conditions/


----------

