Detection and diagnosis of blood in feces and urine: an overview.
BACKGROUND
Detection of blood in feces or urine has long been regarded as an indicator of patient's state of health. The ease with which feces or urine may be obtained and patient's willingness to provide the specimen make detection of fecal occult blood or urine analysis one of the most commonly performed screening examinations. Historically, the inspection of feces or urine for diagnostic purpose has been practiced for centuries. Of late, management of renal or urinary tract abnormalities or investigation of anemia, gastrointestinal diseases and for early detection of colorectal cancer has assumed greater importance.


METHODS
The never-ending list of techniques for the diagnosis of disorders producing bleeding such as urine microscopy, urine cytology, urine based marker test, cytoscopy, ultra sonography, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, to mention a few, and four categories of detection of fecal occult blood namely, radioanalytical, physical, immunochemical and chemical methods makes the study very interesting.


OBJECTIVE
This review attempts to overview various techniques, methods and methodologies for the diagnosis and detection of blood in feces and urine, in the direction of looking at past and current tests with an eye on future needs.
Syed
Akheel A
AA
Department of Studies in Chemistry, University of Mysore, Manasagangotri, Mysore-570 006, India. syedakheelahmed@hotmail.com
Silwadi
Mohammed F
MF
Khatoon
Bibi A
BA
D005243:Feces / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000166:cytology; D006417:Hematuria / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D009780:Occult Blood