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Fecal occult blood test

Overview Risks Results

Fecal occult blood test (FOBT)

Alternative Names: Stool occult blood test What the risks are: A negative test does not necessarily mean there are no colorectal diseases present. Not all polyps bleed, and not all polyps bleed all the time. That is why a FOBT must be used with one of the other more invasive screening measures (sigmoidoscopy, colonoscopy, double barium contrast enema). Special considerations: Text Continues Below Colonoscopy is generally recommended as the preferred follow-up test to a positive FOBT. Factors that can cause this test to be less accurate include the following: Bleeding gums following a dental procedure Ingestion of red meat within 3 days Ingestion of fish, turnips, or horseradish Drugs that can cause GI bleeding include anticoagulants, aspirin, colchicine, iron supplements in large doses, NSAIDs (anti-inflammatory analgesics), and corticosteroids. Drugs that can cause false positive measurements include colchicine, iron, oxidizing drugs (for example, iodine, bromides, and boric acid), and reserpine. Large amounts of vitamin C can cause false-negative results on most FOBTs.

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