Fecal occult blood exam

The test to detect blood in stool is known as Fecal Occult Blood

Blood in the stool may be found in malignant diseases such as colorectal cancer or other problems such as polyps, hemorrhoids, or gastric ulcers.

It is important to perform a fecal occult blood test when:

• Red water is observed in the toilet
• Stools are very dark
• Red spots are seen in the stool
• Blood is seen on the toilet paper

Physicians now include this test as part of routine screening as it has been established as a sensitive method for early detection of colon cancer.

If a positive fecal occult blood result is obtained, the patient should visit a doctor to determine the cause of the blood in the stool and other more specialized tests such as gastroscopy or colonoscopy may be required to identify the reason of blood loss in feces.

At Bioclinic Laboratory in Puerto Viejo this test is performed, the patient is not required to change their eating habits prior to sample collection.

Collecting a stool sample about the size of a walnut in a container for this purpose, you can request in the laboratory or acquire it in any pharmacy. The sample must not be contaminated with water or urine and must not be collected directly from the toilet.