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A stool test is a medical diagnostic technique that involves the collection and analysis of fecal matter. Microbial analysis (culturing), microscopy and chemical tests are among the tests performed on stool samples.
The fecal sample is obtained by catching the stool and transferring a sample with an applicator. Digital rectal examination specimens are also used but this method is discouraged for colorectal cancer screening due to very poor performance characteristics. [10] Both sides of the test card can be peeled open, to access the inner guaiac paper.
The test is fast and can be performed in a doctor's office. A patient must not be receiving antibiotics. At least half a milliliter of feces is collected, and a strip of nitrazine paper is dipped in the sample and compared against a color scale. A pH of less than 5.5 indicates an acidic sample. [5]
The Bristol stool scale is a medical aid designed to classify the form of human feces into seven categories. Sometimes referred to in the UK as the Meyers Scale, it was developed by K.W. Heaton at the University of Bristol and was first published in the Scandinavian Journal of Gastroenterology in 1997. [4]
A simple stool test could help diagnose endometriosis, as well as some gut-related conditions, such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). It may also offer clues as to how to treat them.
Fecal occult blood testing (FOBT), as its name implies, aims to detect subtle blood loss in the gastrointestinal tract, anywhere from the mouth to the colon.Positive tests ("positive stool") may result from either upper gastrointestinal bleeding or lower gastrointestinal bleeding and warrant further investigation for peptic ulcers or a malignancy (such as colorectal cancer or gastric cancer).
The container is thoroughly mixed to homogenize the feces, without using specific mixer equipment. A small sample from the feces is collected. The fat content is extracted with solvents and measured by saponification (turning the fat into soap). Normally, up to 7 grams of fat can be malabsorbed in people consuming 100 grams of fat per day.
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