Since signs and symptoms of hypothyroidism are not specific, a health care professional diagnoses it with laboratory values. Most often, thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels are tested to determine if a patient has hypothyroidism. Also, free thyroxine (T4) levels are tested to determine if the patient has overt or subclinical hypothyroidism. Further testing is usually conducted to determine the cause of the hypothyroidism.[1]
How is hypothyroidism diagnosed?
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•Last Updated: May 16, 2025
Hypothyroidism is diagnosed primarily through laboratory tests that measure thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and free thyroxine (T4) levels. Additional testing may be performed to identify the underlying cause of the condition.