A comparison of tests for thyroglobulin antibody.

A comparison is made of tests for thyroglobulin antibody, using gel diffusion, electroprecipitin, bentonite flocculation, tanned red cell agglutination, and latex slide agglutination techniques on sera from cases of Hashimoto's disease and other thyroid disorders. Any increase in gamma globulin was also noted from the serum electrophoretic pattern. The gel diffusion and electroprecipitin tests are shown to be comparable in their sensitivity, as are the bentonite flocculation and tanned red cell agglutination tests. The flocculation and agglutination tests were oversensitive. The latex slide test in conjunction with the electro-precipitin test is recommended for routine use in the detection of Hashimoto's disease.