Limitaciones técnicas de los métodos para cuantificar tiroglobulina sérica y su repercusión clínica

the serum thyroglobulin assessment is used mainly as tumor marker during the postoperative follow-up of patients presenting with thyroid differentiated cancer. progressively, the serum thyroglobulin methods have much variability in its analytical qualities and also have technical problems affecting on the technical usefulness of this test. to quantify the serum thyroglobulin we used two different technologies: the initial competitive radioimmunoassays and the most recent non competitive inmunometrical methods. these latter are more prone to have interferences provoked by presence of thyroglobulin antibodies and heterophilic antibodies despite to offer technical beneficial relative to use of non-isotopic reagents, a lower sample volume, shorter incubation times, as well as a better sensitivity and feasibility of automation. it is essential that clinicians know and understand the technical limitations inherent of serum thyroglobulin assessment and its repercussion on its clinical usefulness to an effective and efficient use of this test during the postoperative follow-up of patients presenting thyroid differential cancer.