The Patient Reports That She Is Feeling Tired All the Time

The patient reports that she is feeling tired all the time and has been gaining weight. She thinks that her face is "puffy." You assess the thyroid gland and find it to be enlarged. The health-care provider suspects the patient has hypothyroidism. You expect that the health-care provider will order which of the following blood work to assess the thyroid gland?

A) Triiodothyronine (T₃)
B) Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) only
C) Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and free thyroxine (Free T₄)
D) Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) , free thyroxine (Free T₄) , and triiodothyronine (T₃)