T4
Medical abbreviation · Endocrinology & Diabetes
| Stands for | Thyroxine |
|---|---|
| Categories | Medical |
T4 stands for Thyroxine, an endocrinology & diabetes abbreviation.
Main hormone secreted by the thyroid gland, containing four iodine atoms, which acts largely as a prohormone converted to active T3 in the tissues. Free T4 is measured with TSH to diagnose and monitor thyroid disease, and synthetic T4 (levothyroxine) is the standard treatment for hypothyroidism.
Example: Subclinical hypothyroidism: TSH 8.2, T4 normal; repeat in 8 weeks with TPO antibodies.
Usage notes
Edward Kendall isolated thyroxine at the Mayo Clinic in 1914. Total T4 rises with pregnancy and estrogen therapy because binding proteins increase, which is why free T4 is preferred. Levothyroxine is taken on an empty stomach, separated from calcium and iron. It is one of the most prescribed drugs in the US.
Related abbreviations
More endocrinology & diabetes abbreviations
- RAIU – Radioactive iodine uptake
- SIADH – Syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion
- SMBG – Self-monitoring of blood glucose
- T1DM – Type 1 diabetes mellitus
- T2DM – Type 2 diabetes mellitus
- T3 – Triiodothyronine
- Tg – Thyroglobulin
- TI-RADS – Thyroid Imaging Reporting and Data System
- TIR – Time in range
- TPO – Thyroid peroxidase (antibodies)
- TRT – Testosterone replacement therapy
- TSI – Thyroid-stimulating immunoglobulin
See all 64 endocrinology & diabetes abbreviations →
This entry is for general education and is not medical advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.