See Also: faecal fat determination(medicine)
Herbal medicine (botanical medicine, herbology, phytomedicine)(health)
Faecal(medicine)
faecal(dictionary)
faecal smear(medicine)
faecal impaction(medicine)
faecal tumour(medicine)
faecal vomiting(medicine)
faecal abscess(medicine)
faecal fistula(medicine)

faecal fat determination (medicine)


faecal fat determination
<investigation> A test that measures the amount of fat in the stool and the percentage of dietary fat that is absorbed. This test is used to evaluate potential fat malabsorption syndromes. Stools are collected for 24 hours. Normal values include less than 7 grams of fat per 24 hours, based on a diet of 100 grams of fat per day for 3 days before the test.

Decreased fat absorption can be seen in biliary stricture, biliary cancer, celiac sprue, cholelithiasis, chronic pancreatitis, Crohn's disease, cystic fibrosis, acute pancreatitis, pancreatic cancer, radiation enteritis, short bowel syndromes (post surgical) and Whipple's disease.