Table of Contents
- Overview
- Results
- Risks
- Prevention
- Images
Colonic tissue culture
Normal Values
A normal result means that no disease-causing organisms have grown in the laboratory dish.
Some "healthy" bacteria, called bowel flora, are normally found in the gut. The growth of such bacteria during this test does not mean there is an infection.
Normal value ranges may vary slightly among different laboratories. Talk to your doctor about the meaning of your specific test results.
What abnormal results mean
An abnormal result means that disease-causing organisms have grown in the laboratory dish. Such organisms may include:
- Clostridium difficile bacteria
- Cytomegalovirus
- Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacteria
- Salmonella bacteria
- Shigella bacteria
These organisms may lead to infectious diarrhea or parasitic or viral infections involving the colon.
Review Date: 05/04/2010
Reviewed By: Linda J. Vorvick, MD, Medical Director, MEDEX Northwest Division of
Physician Assistant Studies, University of Washington, School of
Medicine; George F. Longstreth, MD, Department of Gastroenterology,
Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program, San Diego, California. Also
reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)
