Occult blood test (feces)

During a significant amount of bleeding from different parts of the gastrointestinal tract, the color of the feces changes so much that it can be seen visually. If the bleeding is from the lower part of the intestine (colon, rectum), the blood is scarlet, in the form of a clot or an admixture. If the source of bleeding is from the upper part of the gastrointestinal tract (small intestine, esophagus, stomach), the color of the feces becomes black, tarry, due to the reaction between the blood and special enzymes produced in the given part of the gastrointestinal tract.

The detection of hidden blood indicates diseases of the gastrointestinal tract that violate the integrity of the mucous membrane, during which a small amount of blood is released into the lumen of the stomach or intestine. It can be in case of gastric and duodenal ulcer, non-specific colitis, Crohn's disease, polyp, helminth infestation.

Blood can get into the feces during bleeding from the nose, gums, throat, varicose veins of the esophagus, erosive esophagitis, hemorrhoids and other diseases, which should be taken into account when evaluating the results of the analysis.

How Get ready For the test?

• exclude meat, fish, green vegetables, tomatoes from the diet for 72 hours before the examination;
• Within 72 hours before the study, you can't take any drugs, make rectal suppositories, limit the intake of medicines (iron, bismuth) affecting intestinal peristalsis and coloration of feces;
• The research is carried out before performing rectomoscopy and other diagnostic manipulations of the gastrointestinal tract.