Stool Occult Blood

Why test for Stool Examination at Symbion VIP Diagnostics Ahmedabad ?

Fecal occult blood (FOB) refers to blood in the feces that is not visibly apparent (unlike other types of blood in stool such as melena or hematochezia). A fecal occult blood test (FOBT) checks for hidden (occult) blood in the stool (feces).

Blood may show up in your stool because of one or more of the following conditions:

• Growths or polyps of the colon
• Hemorrhoids (swollen blood vessels near the anus and lower rectum that can rupture, causing bleeding)
• Anal fissures (splits or cracks in the lining of the anal opening)
• Intestinal infections that cause inflammation
• Ulcers
• Ulcerative colitis
• Crohn's disease
• Diverticular disease, caused by outpouchings of the colon wall
• Problems in the blood vessels in the large intestine
• Meckel’s diverticulum, usually seen in children and young adults

Gastrointestinal bleeding may be microscopic, so you can’t see it. (Doctors call that “occult” blood.) Or you may easily see it as red blood, or black tar-like 

Because certain foods can alter some of the tests’ results, don’t eat these foods for 48 to 72 hours before you take the test:

• Beets
• Broccoli
• Cantaloupe
• Carrots
• Cauliflower
• Cucumbers
• Grapefruit
• Horseradish
• Mushrooms
• Radishes
• Red meat (especially meat that is cooked rare)
• Turnips
• Vitamin C-enriched foods or beverages

You may need to stop taking certain medicines 48 hours before the test. Ask your doctor about that.