OCCULT BLOOD, feces

Patient Preparation: The patient should be placed on a high residue diet starting 2 days before the test. Foods to be avoided include red or rare meat, turnips, broccoli, horseradish, cauliflower, cantaloupe, and parsnip. Other factors which affect the test are medications (avoid aspirin, tonics or Vitamin C preparations), bleeding hemorrhoids, menses, other gastrointestinal tract disorders, such as colitis, gastritis, diverticulitis, and bleeding ulcers.

Collection: Collect a fecal specimen; apply a thin layer to A and B sections of the Coloscreen card.

Storage Instructions: Refrigerate fecal specimens. Store Coloscreen cards at room temperature.

Causes for Rejection: Duplicate specimens from the same source within 24 hours, samples in preservative, specimens other than feces

Availability: Samples are accepted 24 hours per day at the Microbiology Processing Laboratory, Room 5.137 McCullough.

Turnaround Time: 1 day; test performed Monday-Friday

Special Instructions: See diet and medication restrictions. It is recommended to collect three samples on three days for this test. If samples are received at the same time, the laboratory reports one result and charges for only one test.

Specimen: Feces

Minimum Volume: Coloscreen card or 1 ml

Container: Coloscreen card available through Materials Management or clean, leak-proof container

Reference Ranges: Negative

Revised 2/1/2000 by T. Friloux

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