Thyroid check — when and how thoroughly

Dr. Charalampos Romanos · 12 October 2025 · 6 min read

The thyroid affects virtually every organ system — metabolism, mood, weight, skin, hair, heart rate. Yet in GP practice, it's often investigated superficially: one TSH value, done. That's not always enough.

When TSH alone isn't enough

TSH is a good screening value, but it has limits. With symptoms like fatigue, weight gain, hair loss, cold intolerance, or menstrual irregularities, fT3 and fT4 should be measured as well. Only then can you see whether free thyroid hormones are actually in the optimal range.

Hashimoto and thyroid antibodies

Hashimoto's thyroiditis is the most common autoimmune thyroid disease. Diagnosis requires TPO antibodies (anti-TPO) and potentially thyroglobulin antibodies. Many patients have symptoms for years before TSH becomes abnormal. Read more in our Hashimoto article.

Ultrasound: when is it useful?

For palpable nodules, size changes, or abnormal lab values, thyroid ultrasound is indicated. It's a simple, painless examination that visualises nodules, cysts, and structural changes.

Treatment and follow-up

Not every abnormal value needs immediate treatment. Subclinical hypothyroidism is monitored, overt hypothyroidism is treated. We follow you with regular checks and adjust dosing individually. Thyroid assessment is a standard part of our preventive care.