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Fecal occult blood test (FOBT) - Results

Alternative Names

Stool occult blood test

Normal Values:

A "negative" test result is normal. It means no blood was found in the stool.

What abnormal results mean:

Positive test results may indicate the following:

Angiodysplasia of the colon
Bleeding esophageal varices
Colon polyp or colon cancer
Complications of recent GI surgery
Esophagitis
Fissures (cracks around the anus)
Gastritis
GI (gastrointestinal) trauma
GI tumor
Hemorrhoids
Inflammatory bowel disease
Peptic ulcer

Note that false positives are common.

Additional conditions under which the test may be performed include the following:

Colon cancer screening
Evaluation of anemia

Fecal occult blood test

Reviewed last on: 3/8/2008
Christian Stone, MD, Division of Gastroenterology, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

References

Atkins D. The Periodic Health Examination. In: Goldman L, Ausiello D, eds. Cecil Textbook of Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, PA: Saunders Elsevier; 2007:chap 13.

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