Lab tests
Stool test report explainer
A stool report can bundle several unrelated tests on one page: a description of the sample, what was seen under the microscope, a check for hidden blood and sometimes a calprotectin level. Each has its own vocabulary. Add your report below to see the parts separated and the terms explained.
Explain your stool test report
- 1. Add itDrop a PDF, take a photo or paste the text.
- 2. Check itPersonal details are removed on your device. You approve what is sent.
- 3. Read itSummary, table of results, terms and questions to ask.
The explainer opens on its own page with no adverts and no outside scripts. Your file is read on your device and is never uploaded.
What you get
- The description of the sample, the microscopy and the chemical tests listed as separate parts.
- Phrases such as no ova or parasites seen, occasional and scanty put into everyday words.
- Abbreviations such as O&P, FOBT and FIT written out, along with units such as micrograms per gram.
- Questions to ask the clinician who requested the test.
What a stool report may include
- Macroscopic appearanceThe colour and consistency of the sample, and whether mucus or visible blood was noted
- Microscopy for ova, cysts and parasites (O&P)A search under the microscope for parasites or their eggs
- Pus cells and red cellsWhite and red blood cells counted under the microscope
- Occult blood (FOBT)A chemical test for blood that cannot be seen by eye
- FIT (fecal immunochemical test)A test for hidden blood that detects human hemoglobin
- Fecal calprotectinA protein released by white blood cells, measured in micrograms per gram of stool
- Stool antigen tests, for example for H. pyloriTests that look for a protein from one particular organism
What this tool cannot tell you
Stool tests are sensitive to how and when the sample was collected, and a single sample can miss something that comes and goes, which is why laboratories sometimes ask for more than one. A positive test for hidden blood shows that blood was detected, not where it came from, and a calprotectin figure does not name a cause. MedicDecode explains the wording and the numbers. It does not diagnose an infection, a bowel condition or anything else, and it does not suggest treatment.
Common questions
What does no ova, cysts or parasites seen mean?
It means the person examining the sample under the microscope did not find parasites or their eggs in it. The statement describes that sample only, and reports sometimes recommend further samples.
Is FIT the same as an occult blood test?
Both look for blood that is not visible. FIT is a type that detects human hemoglobin specifically, and some reports give it as a number while others print positive or negative. The older chemical test is often labelled FOBT or guaiac.
Why does my calprotectin result have a borderline band?
Many laboratories print three bands for calprotectin, with a middle one between their lower and upper cut-offs. The cut-offs are set by each laboratory and differ between them, so the explanation uses the bands on your own report.
Words you may see on this report
Tap a word for its plain-English meaning, an example line and what it does not mean.
- ALT (Alanine Aminotransferase)
ALT is an enzyme found mainly in the liver; when liver cells are irritated or damaged, more ALT leaks into the blood.
- AST (Aspartate Aminotransferase)
AST is an enzyme found in the liver, muscles, heart and other tissues; raised levels can signal stress or damage in one of these.
- Bilirubin
Bilirubin is a yellow substance made when old red blood cells break down; the liver processes it so it can leave the body.
- Creatinine
Creatinine is a waste product from normal muscle activity that the kidneys filter out, so its blood level helps show how well the kidneys work.
- CRP (C-Reactive Protein)
CRP is a protein made by the liver that rises quickly when there is inflammation or infection in the body.
- Culture and Sensitivity
A culture and sensitivity test grows germs from a sample to identify them, then checks which antibiotics can stop them.
- eGFR (Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate)
eGFR is an estimate of how well your kidneys filter waste from your blood, calculated from a creatinine blood test plus details like age.
- Electrolytes
Electrolytes are minerals in the blood, such as sodium, potassium and chloride, that carry an electric charge and help the body work.
- ESR (Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate)
ESR measures how fast red blood cells sink in a tube of blood over an hour; a faster rate can be a general sign of inflammation.
- Fasting Sample
A fasting sample is blood taken after you have had nothing to eat or drink except water for a set number of hours.
- Ferritin
Ferritin is a protein that stores iron; its blood level gives a good idea of how much iron the body has in reserve.
- HbA1c
HbA1c shows your average blood sugar over roughly the past two to three months by measuring how much sugar is attached to red blood cells.