The Fecal Occult Blood Test employs a unique combination of monoclonal and polyclonal
antibodies to selectively identify occult blood in test samples with a high degree
of sensitivity. Elevated levels of human occult blood as low as 25 ng/ml can be
detected.
Fecal occult blood test explanation: The presence of blood in stools may be
other than colorectal bleeding, such as hemorrhoids, blood in urine, infestinal,
rectum or stomach irritations. Negative results do not exclude bleeding since
it can be intermittent. Colorectal polyps at very early stages may not bleed.
Other clinically available tests are required if questionable results are obtained.
As with all diagnostic tests, a definitive clinical diagnosis should not be
based on the results of a single test, but should only be made by the physician
after all clinical and laboratory findings have been evaluated.
The OB test is designed to detect lower levels of fecal occult blood than standard
guaiac tests. The basis of the test is an immuno-chromatographic sandwich capture
method, which yields results that appear more specific to human occult blood
and are easier to interpret than those of guaiac-based devices. In addition,
unlike guaiac assays, the accuracy of the OB test is not affected by interfering
substances and does not depend on the status of the patient at the time the
specimen is taken.
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