Usually detected through an occult blood test: A test used in screening for blood found in the stool, sputum or urine. The most common test is for hidden blood in the stool, also known as a stool guaiac or hemoccult test, which usually indicates the presence of ulceration or cancer.

	Crohn's Disease The Condition "...Occult blood in stool due to intestinal mucosal bleeding Decreased serum albumin and total protein due to loss of protein from the intestinal mucosa and to impaired dietary intake..." Diarrhea The Condition "...The presence of blood suggests an inflammatory or neoplastic cause for the diarrhea, but occult blood also can be seen in celiac disease and other sprue-like syndromes..." Diverticular Disease The Condition "...Occult blood in stool due to mucosal bleeding..." Enteritis The Condition "...Antibiotic-Associated Pseudomembranous Colitis; Shigellosis; Nontyphoidal Salmonellosis; Enterocolitis; Paratyphoid fever; Bacteremia ... Smear of stool to check for fecal leukocytes, gross or occult blood, macrophages, mucus..." Gastric/Peptic/Duodenal Ulcers The Condition "...Hemorrhage - acute, normocytic anaemia, chronic, microcytic hypochromic anaemia; occult blood in stool..." Gastritis The Condition "...Laboratory Findings ... Occult blood in stool due to gastric mucosal erosions..." Gastrointestinal Bleeding The Condition "...Laboratory findings ... Gross or occult blood in stool, vomitus, or gastric contents..." General Cancer Screening As A Treatment "...There is good evidence that periodic fecal occult blood testing (FOBT) reduces mortality from colorectal cancer and fair evidence that sigmoidoscopy alone or in combination with FOBT reduces mortality..." Stomach Cancer The Condition "...Laboratory Findings: Gastroscopic biopsy and cytology - essential for diagnosis Hypochromic, microcytic anaemia due to chronic blood loss Occult blood in stool Blood in gastric contents Gastric analysis - 50% of patients have no gastric acid, even following stimulation; 50% have normal or decreased gastric acid Increased serum gastrin..." Tendency To Develop Polyps The Condition "...Larger polyps tend to bleed quite easily; the blood (occult blood) can be mixed with the stools or can be visible on their surface..." Ulcerative Colitis The Condition "...Laboratory findings ... Gross or occult blood in stool; WBC in stool..."

Last updated: Feb 28, 2008