HemoQuant, Feces
Use
The HemoQuant test is used to detect blood in feces, evaluate iron deficiency, and identify bleeding as a complication of anticoagulant therapy and other medications. It is particularly useful for detecting bleeding of the esophago-GI tract, providing reliability in detecting both intact heme and porphyrins from partially degraded heme. Unlike other fecal blood tests, it is not affected by the water content of the specimen or the presence of reducing or oxidizing substances. This sensitivity makes it effective for detecting occult GI bleeding from both proximal and distal sources.
Special Instructions
Patients should avoid consuming red meat and products containing aspirin, such as Excedrin, for 3 days prior to specimen collection. The specimen should be collected from a single defecation using a Hemoquant Specimen Collection tube and submitted in a screw-capped tube.
Limitations
The test is not specific for bowel cancer and elevated porphyrins from conditions like lead intoxication, erythrocytic protoporphyria, or variegate porphyria can increase test values without gut bleeding. Cancerous lesions may not bleed or do so intermittently in early stages, and the ingestion of red meat can falsely elevate test values.
New York Approved
Methodology
Fluorescence Quantitation
Biomarkers
LOINC Codes
- 27396-1
- 27396-1
Result Turnaround Time
1-2 days
Related Documents
For more information, please review the documents below
Specimen
Stool
Volume
1 g
Minimum Volume
1 g
Container
Screw-capped tube
Collection Instructions
Collect random specimen from a single defecation.
Patient Preparation
Refrain from ingesting red meat and aspirin-containing products for 3 days prior to specimen collection.
Causes for Rejection
Gross hemolysis
Stability Requirements
| Temperature | Period |
|---|---|
| Room Temperature | 7 days |
| Refrigerated | 7 days |