title: Fecal occult blood testing. Guidelines for follow-up after positive findings.
abstract: Fecal occult blood testing should be performed under optimal conditions to minimize false-positive test results. Obvious bleeding from the rectum or other sources during the test period should be investigated and testing should be postponed. When a fecal occult blood test is positive, colonoscopy is recommended as the definitive method of diagnosis and often of treatment. When a complete colonoscopy cannot be performed, sigmoidoscopy with air-contrast barium enema is the next best alternative for direct visualization of the distal bowel and indirect investigation of the proximal colon.
authors.affiliation: Cleveland Clinic Foundation, OH 44195-5008.
authors.forename: R N
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Matzen
mesh_terms: D003113:Colonoscopy; D006471:Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D009780:Occult Blood; D012007:Rectum