Faecal Calprotectin

The faecal calprotectin stool test is used to detect intestinal inflammation. Calprotectin is an inflammatory substance that is released whenever the bowel lining is inflamed, as would be the case with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. It is a very sensitive test, which will show positive with early stages of inflammation (often before symptoms become more obvious). A positive result would lead to recommendation for further testing to establish a diagnosis, or if already known to modify a treatment regime already in place. This test is also very useful when used to distinguish between IBD and Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).

This test is available as a stool sample collection option.