A screening test to detect the presence of nonvisible (occult) blood in the feces. Blood in the feces can be a sign of serious disorders of the digestive system, including colitis, Crohn disease, and colorectal cancer.
A screening test for disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, including anemias that may be caused by gastrointestinal blood loss, e.g., cancer of the colon. Traditionally, a small amount of feces is collected on cards accompanying several consecutive bowel movements. These cards are submitted to a lab for analysis. Alternately, a flushable pad is dropped into the toilet bowl after a bowel movement. A change in color (to blue or green) in the pad reveals occult blood if present.