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Free Triiodothyronine (FT3)

The thyroid hormones triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) are secreted into the bloodstream by the thyroid gland and play a vital role in regulating the body's metabolic rate, influencing the cardiovascular system, growth and bone metabolism, and are important for normal development of gonadal functions and nervous system. T3 circulates in the bloodstream as an equilibrium mixture of free and serum bound hormone. Free T3 (fT3) is the unbound and biologically active form. The determination of free T3 has the advantage of being independent of changes in the concentrations and binding properties of the binding proteins. Free T3 is a useful tool in clinical routine diagnostics for the assessment of the thyroid status. Free T3 measurements support the differential diagnosis of thyroid disorders, are needed to distinguish different forms of hyperthyroidism, and to identify patients with T3 thyrotoxicosis.

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