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Hemoccult detection of fecal occult blood quantitated by radioassay

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Abstract

Results from the guaiac slide or Hemoccult (HO) test for fecal occult blood were compared with quantitative determinations of gastrointestinal loss after intravenous administration of51Cr-labeled red cells. Subjects were 80 consecutive patients, without dietary restriction, who were referred because of clinical suspicion of gastrointestinal blood loss or complex anemia. A total of 555 stool specimens analyzed for51Cr loss were graded negative, trace, or positive by the HO method. Of 338 specimens containing 0–2 ml/day by isotope assay, 7.4% were positive to the HO qualitative test. Loss of at least 10 ml/day in51Cr equivalent was necessary to assure that the majority of HO reactions would be positive. Of specimens containing more than 30 ml/day, 93% were positive. The ratio of51Cr-labeled red cell equivalents to stool volume and the percentage of positive HO reactions increased together. When this ratio exceeded 10%, two thirds of the HO responses were positive.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. c/o Section of Publications, Mayo Clinic, 200 First Street SW, 55901, Rochester, Minnesota

    John R. Stroehlein MD, Virgil F. Fairbanks MD, Douglas B. McGill MD & Vay L. W. Go MD

  2. Mayo Foundation, Rochester, Minesota

    John R. Stroehlein MD, Virgil F. Fairbanks MD, Douglas B. McGill MD & Vay L. W. Go MD

Authors
  1. John R. Stroehlein MD
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  2. Virgil F. Fairbanks MD
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  3. Douglas B. McGill MD
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  4. Vay L. W. Go MD
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Additional information

This investigation was supported in part by Research Grant CB-23854 from the National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Public Health Service.

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Stroehlein, J.R., Fairbanks, V.F., McGill, D.B. et al. Hemoccult detection of fecal occult blood quantitated by radioassay. Digest Dis Sci 21, 841–844 (1976). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01072074

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01072074

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