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Stool Test Shows Occult Blood Positive, RBC Absent. What Does This Mean?
Question: Hi
I have done a stool test where the occult blood is found positive and RBC was found absent . No XXXXXXX blood is found. What does it mean , am I suffering from a serious decease. My age is 28 and this was a routine test performed.
AAAA XXXXXXX
I have done a stool test where the occult blood is found positive and RBC was found absent . No XXXXXXX blood is found. What does it mean , am I suffering from a serious decease. My age is 28 and this was a routine test performed.
AAAA XXXXXXX
Hi,
Thanks for your query.
The fecal occult blood test (FOBT) checks for hidden blood in the stool. Normally, such small amounts of blood cannot be seen in the feces by plain eye or microscopy.
Occult blood is a finding, not a disease. This indicates that there is bleeding somewhere in your G.I.tract. As a doctor we are more concerned with the site and cause of bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract. Once the site of bleeding causing occult blood positive test is identified then it is decided whether medical or surgical treatment is to be given.
The common causes of occult blood in stool are bleeding peptic ulcer, cancer, adenoma, polyp, etc.
So you may need to do a Upper GI endoscopy and Colonoscopy to identify the sites and causes of bleeding. Based on this investigation report you may need an abdominal imaging.
So consult your physician/Gastroenterologist earliest, test to be done based on his advice for discover the site and cause of bleeding and follow his management guideline.
.
Best Wishes,
Dr Sourav Ganguly
Thanks for your query.
The fecal occult blood test (FOBT) checks for hidden blood in the stool. Normally, such small amounts of blood cannot be seen in the feces by plain eye or microscopy.
Occult blood is a finding, not a disease. This indicates that there is bleeding somewhere in your G.I.tract. As a doctor we are more concerned with the site and cause of bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract. Once the site of bleeding causing occult blood positive test is identified then it is decided whether medical or surgical treatment is to be given.
The common causes of occult blood in stool are bleeding peptic ulcer, cancer, adenoma, polyp, etc.
So you may need to do a Upper GI endoscopy and Colonoscopy to identify the sites and causes of bleeding. Based on this investigation report you may need an abdominal imaging.
So consult your physician/Gastroenterologist earliest, test to be done based on his advice for discover the site and cause of bleeding and follow his management guideline.
.
Best Wishes,
Dr Sourav Ganguly
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Aparna Kohli
DearDr
Thanks for the reply.
Just I have shown a local physician. He was telling me tore do the test again as he suspects that this is may be ingestion of poultry or fish taken a day before the test was done. He said that there is no symptoms of GI disorder as of now, hence the test need to be done again. The report says in details that XXXXXXX As no RBC found the chance of ingestion of food or other haem substance prior to test should be excluded".
Whats your suggestion on this . Should I go for a test again
Thanks
Thanks for the reply.
Just I have shown a local physician. He was telling me tore do the test again as he suspects that this is may be ingestion of poultry or fish taken a day before the test was done. He said that there is no symptoms of GI disorder as of now, hence the test need to be done again. The report says in details that XXXXXXX As no RBC found the chance of ingestion of food or other haem substance prior to test should be excluded".
Whats your suggestion on this . Should I go for a test again
Thanks
Hi,
Thanks for your query.
Yes, you can go for the test again as sometimes in 6-8% cases injection of fish/meat prior to the taste date give false positive result. But I surprise to see that there are charts about which food should be avoided before occult blood test to decrease the chance of false positive and this should be available in every laboratory and laboratory person tell this restriction to the patient.
You please follow this all restrictions this time and do occult blood test for consecutive seven days and if at least two days reports are positive then your stool occult blood is considered to be positive.
Hope I have answered your query. If you have any further questions I will be happy to help.
If you do not have any clarifications, you can close the discussion and rate the answer and write a review
Best Wishes,
Dr Sourav Ganguly
Thanks for your query.
Yes, you can go for the test again as sometimes in 6-8% cases injection of fish/meat prior to the taste date give false positive result. But I surprise to see that there are charts about which food should be avoided before occult blood test to decrease the chance of false positive and this should be available in every laboratory and laboratory person tell this restriction to the patient.
You please follow this all restrictions this time and do occult blood test for consecutive seven days and if at least two days reports are positive then your stool occult blood is considered to be positive.
Hope I have answered your query. If you have any further questions I will be happy to help.
If you do not have any clarifications, you can close the discussion and rate the answer and write a review
Best Wishes,
Dr Sourav Ganguly
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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