TSH screening

That means there is considerable overlap in what we would consider the true euthyroid state in a patient. Hence, a population may be well characterised by this screening process, but it doesn't closely reflect the individual situation. As a result, an abnormal result of the population-based screening should not necessarily translate into an automatic decision on the requirement of treatment. The view on treatment consequences can therefore not readily be derived from the screening in such a way as to assume every patient with an abnormal screening test will be treated. That assumption is by no means justified.