tTG

Medical abbreviation · Gastroenterology

tTG stands for Tissue transglutaminase (antibody test), a gastroenterology abbreviation.

Blood test, usually tTG-IgA, that serves as the first-line screen for celiac disease, with sensitivity and specificity above 90 percent. Because IgA deficiency is more common in celiac patients and causes false negatives, labs check total IgA alongside it or switch to IgG-based assays.

Example: tTG-IgA 112 U/mL (reference under 15) with normal total IgA; refer for upper endoscopy and duodenal biopsy.

Usage notes

Written with a lowercase t; also seen as TTG or anti-tTG. Tissue transglutaminase was identified as the main autoantigen of celiac disease in 1997. European pediatric guidelines (ESPGHAN 2020) allow diagnosis without biopsy in children whose tTG-IgA exceeds ten times the upper limit of normal and whose endomysial antibody is positive on a second blood sample.

Related abbreviations

More gastroenterology abbreviations

• AH – Alcohol-associated hepatitis
• AIH – Autoimmune hepatitis
• ALD – Alcohol-associated liver disease
• ALF – Acute liver failure
• AP – Acute pancreatitis
• APC – Argon plasma coagulation
• BE – Barrett's esophagus
• BRBPR – Bright red blood per rectum
• CD – Crohn's disease
• CHS – Cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome
• CP – Chronic pancreatitis
• CRC – Colorectal cancer

See all 85 gastroenterology abbreviations →

Edited by the AbbreviationList.com team. Spotted an error or a missing meaning? Contact us.

This entry is for general education and is not medical advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.