Insulin Like Growth Factor 1 (IGF 1) Test

This test measures the amount of Insulin like growth factor-1 which is a marker of growth hormone (GH) in the blood. The growth hormone promotes the growth of bones and tissues.

Your child may need this test if he/she has a slow growth rate compared to the children of same age, shorter height, arms , legs and weight, small penis in males, thin hair & poor nail growth. The other symptoms which appear due to high levels of GH in children are excessive growth, overly large head, larger hands. Higher GH levels can also occur in adults which are manifested as deep & husky voice, larger than normal facial features, excessive sweating, thickening of bones, irregulat menstrual cycle in women & erectile dsyfunction in males. Lower GH levels are treated by giving GH supplementation. Higher GH levels indicates gignatism & acromegaly in children and adults respectively and is a sign of tumours in the pituitary gland.