Time course of thyroglobulin autoantibodies in patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma after radioiodine therapy.

The time course of thyroglobulin (Tg) was monitored in patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma after ablative therapy (thyroidectomy + 131I-treatment) with particular respect to endogeneous antibodies (Tg-ABs). In 232 patients (196 without Tg-ABs, 36 with Tg-ABs at the time of treatment) a sensitivity of 88% (accuracy, 93%) was found at the first follow up examination. Twelve months later, 11 of the 36 patients did not present Tg-ABs, therefore, the sensitivity increased to 91% (accuracy, 94%) at that time. It is expected that the determination of Tg can also be employed in patients presenting ABs initially.