PCOD Profile Advance

Why test for PCOD Profile Advance

At present, there is no single test that can diagnose PCOS. A healthcare practitioner will typically evaluate a combination of clinical findings such as signs and symptoms, medical and family history, and physical exam, as well as laboratory test results to help make a diagnosis.

Some testing may be done to rule out other possible causes of symptoms before a PCOS diagnosis can be made. For example, tumors of the adrenal gland or ovary, or an enlarged adrenal gland (adrenal hyperplasia) can also cause excess androgens in women.

Laboratory Tests

A few blood tests for hormones may be used to aid in the diagnosis of PCOS:

• Testosterone – this is often the initial test to determine whether you are producing excess androgens. The level is usually elevated with PCOS.
• Sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) – may be reduced in PCOS
• Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) – an increased level is often seen with PCOS

Some secondary tests may be done, such as:

• Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) – will be normal or low with PCOS
• Luteinizing hormone (LH) – will be elevated
• Estrogens – may be normal or elevated
• DHEAS – may be elevated
• Androstenedione – may be elevated

A few tests may help rule out other conditions with similar signs and symptoms:

• Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) – to rule out a thyroid disorder
• Cortisol – to rule out Cushing syndrome
• Prolactin – to rule out elevated prolactin (hyperprolactinemia)
• 17-hydroxyprogesterone – to rule out the most common form of congenital adrenal hyperplasia
• Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) – to rule out pregnancy
• IGF-1 – to rule out excess growth hormone (which may cause acromegaly)

If you are diagnosed with PCOS, some blood tests may be done to check and monitor your general health and detect any complications that might develop:

• Lipid panel – to help determine risk of developing cardiovascular disease; risk is associated with a low HDL, high LDL, high total cholesterol and/or elevated triglycerides
• Glucose or A1c – can be used to screen for, diagnose and monitor diabetes

Non-Laboratory Tests

As mentioned above, a pelvic ultrasound (transvaginal and/or pelvic/abdominal) may be used to evaluate the ovaries, to look for cysts and to see if the ovaries are enlarged and whether internal structures appear normal.

• In PCOS, the ovaries may be 1.5 to 3 times larger than normal and characteristically have more than 20 follicles per ovary.
• If present, the cysts are often lined up on the surface the ovaries, forming the appearance of a "pearl necklace."

The ultrasound helps visualize these changes in more than 90% of women with PCOS, but they are also found in up to 25% of women without PCOS symptoms. (For more, see RadiologyInfo.org: Pelvic ultrasound.)

Laparoscopy may be used to evaluate ovaries and sometimes used as part of surgical treatment. (For more, see MedlinePlus: Pelvic laparoscopy.)

SOURCE: https://labtestsonline.org/conditions/polycystic-ovary-syndrome-pcos