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Calcitonin (CT) is a hormone produced mainly by the C cells of the thyroid gland. Takes, among others participation in the regulation of calcium and phosphate metabolism.
Calcitonin (CT) — description
Kalcytonina (CT) to hormonewhich is secreted by the thyroid gland and affects the functioning of the calcium-phosphate metabolism, i.e. mainly bone metabolism. This hormone is also responsible for lowering serum calcium and increasing the amount of phosphate. Parathyroid hormone produced by the parathyroid glands has a reverse effect – it increases the level of calcium. Calcitonin is also present in cells outside the thyroid gland (parathyroid glands, thymus, and clusters along large vessels). Alveolar cells, i.e. the C cells of the thyroid gland, are responsible for the production of calcitonin. The production of this hormone is regulated by the concentration of calcium in the blood (the pituitary gland has no influence on it, as is the case with thyroxine and triiodothyronine). The decrease in blood calcium levels causes the secretion of calcitonin to be inhibited. The calcitonin test is mainly used in the diagnosis and monitoring of the treatment of medullary thyroid neoplasm. Your doctor may also order a CT scan for people with suspected hyperparathyroidism.
Calcitonin (CT) – when to test?
Your doctor may recommend a calcitonin (CT) test if you have:
1. Suspected hyperparathyroidism.
2. Disorders of calcium and phosphate metabolism.
3. Suspicion and monitoring of medullary thyroid cancer treatment (this hormone is a very sensitive and specific marker of this cancer.)
4. Relatives of the patient suffering from endocrine neoplasia type II (screening test).
According to the latest research, the determination of calcitonin is also used in people with thyroid nodules before surgery. Such a person may develop both signs and symptoms:
- breathing problems,
- trouble swallowing
- sore throat or front of the neck
- swelling in the front of the neck
- a lump on the front of the neck
- hoarseness,
- change of voice timbre,
- chronic cough (unrelated to illness / cold).
Calcitonin (CT) – study
Material for CT examination: serum.
Preparation for calcitonin testing: on an empty stomach (at least 8 hours).
The course of the study: one-time blood sampling from a vein in the arm. Typically, immunometric methods are used for the assay, which generally require thermal inactivation of non-specific proteases by heating the sample to 56 degrees Celsius.
Time to wait for the result: 1 Day.
Standard: 8,3-22,0 pmol / L (30-80 µg / ml). In postmenopausal women, it decreases; in newborns it reaches values up to four times higher.
Comments: The stimulus that stimulates the secretion of calcitonin is an increase in calcium concentration. It is also released outside the thyroid gland, more specifically in the cells of the central nervous system and the gastrointestinal tract. Its release causes a decrease in serum calcium levels. Increased concentration of calcitonin can also be seen in the presence of a C-cell-derived thyroid cancer. Increased concentration also occurs in the production of calcitonin by neoplasms located in other organs (the so-called paraneoplastic syndrome). Exogenous (exogenous) calcitonin is also used in the treatment of osteoporosis.
A more sensitive test than the determination of calcitonin is stimulation test, which is used to increase the sensitivity of the test that detects cancer cells. It consists in taking a blood sample from the patient as a reference point. Calcium (sometimes pentagastrin) is then injected intravenously to stimulate calcitonin production. Over the next few minutes, material is collected from the patient in order to evaluate the stimulation. Calcitonin levels increase significantly in patients with early stage C and / or MTC cell hyperplasia. The increase in the concentration of calcitonin after injection, above 30 ng / l, indicates the presence of neoplastic cells.
Calcitonin (CT) Results Analysis
Elevated levels of calcitonin occur:
- growth of the thyroid gland (non-cancerous),
- in Zollinger-Ellison disease,
- vitamin D overdose,
- in kidney disorders (e.g. failure),
- during primary hyperparathyroidism,
- if you have small cell lung cancer or breast cancer.
The test results should be consulted with a physician, as no standard reference ranges have been established. It should be taken into account that the test result may depend on many factors, such as: age, sex, study population and the method of determination. The values have different meanings in different laboratories.
Low Calcitonin Level: symptoms of the disease are unlikely to be related to C cell hyperplasia or medullary thyroid cancer.