Calcitonin blood test

A blood sample is needed .

There is usually no special preparation needed.

When the needle is inserted to draw blood, some people feel moderate pain. Others feel only a prick or stinging. Afterward, there may be some throbbing or slight bruising. This soon goes away.

Calcitonin is a hormone produced in C cells of the thyroid gland. The thyroid gland is located inside the front of your lower neck above the collar bones. Calcitonin helps control the breakdown and rebuilding of bone. A common reason to have the test is if you have had surgery to remove a thyroid tumor called…

A normal value is less than 25 pg/mL (25 picograms per milliliter) for males and less than 20 pg/mL for females. Women and men can have different normal values, with men having higher values. Sometimes, calcitonin in the blood is checked several times after you are given a shot (injection) of a special medicine that…

A higher-than-normal level may indicate: Insulinoma Lung cancer Medullary cancer of thyroid (most common) VIPoma Higher-than-normal levels of calcitonin can also occur in people with kidney disease, smokers, and higher body weight. Also, it increases when taking certain medicines to stop stomach acid production.

There is little risk involved with having your blood taken. Veins and arteries vary in size from one person to another and from one side of the body to the other. Taking blood from some people may be more difficult than from others. Other risks associated with having blood drawn are slight, but may include: Excessive…

Bringhurst FR, Demay MB, Kronenberg HM. Hormones and disorders of mineral metabolism. In: Melmed S, Auchus RJ, Goldfine AB, Koenig RJ, Rosen CJ, eds. Williams Textbook of Endocrinology . 14th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 29. Ellervik C, Halsall DJ, Nygaard B. Thyroid disorders. In: Rifai N, Chiu RWK,…