Also known as: Fecal Calprotectin, Fecal Calprotectin Test, Calprotectin Test, Stool Calprotectin, Calprotectin Labcorp
The short answer
Fecal calprotectin — the gold-standard stool marker for distinguishing IBD (Crohn's, colitis) from IBS by measuring intestinal inflammation, measured from a stool sample. At TestWell it costs $189.99 plus a $6 lab processing fee, needs no fasting, and results post in 3–5 business days. Physician-authorized with no doctor's visit or insurance needed; draw at Quest or Labcorp.
TestWell Price
$189.99
+ $6 lab processing fee
Fecal calprotectin is a protein released by neutrophils (white blood cells) in the intestinal lining when inflammation is present. It is the most accurate non-invasive marker for distinguishing inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) — such as Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis — from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Elevated calprotectin strongly suggests organic intestinal inflammation and can help avoid unnecessary colonoscopies in low-risk patients. It is also used to monitor disease activity in known IBD patients, predict relapse, and assess response to treatment. Normal levels effectively rule out significant intestinal inflammation.
Fecal calprotectin is a neutrophil-derived protein released into the stool when the intestinal lining is inflamed. It is the most accurate non-invasive marker for distinguishing inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn's, ulcerative colitis) from non-inflammatory IBS.
Anyone with chronic diarrhea, persistent abdominal pain, or blood/mucus in the stool — especially when trying to tell IBD apart from IBS, or monitoring disease activity and relapse in known Crohn's or ulcerative colitis.
Sample Type
Stool sample
Fasting
Not required
Results In
3–5 business days
Performed At
Quest or Labcorp
1 biomarker tested
Your Fecal Calprotectin (Stool) results will include values for each of the 1 biomarker tested, along with reference ranges. Results are reviewed by a licensed physician before being released to your secure portal.
If any values fall outside the normal range, your report will include guidance on what that may mean and recommended next steps. You'll receive an email notification when your results are ready, typically within 3–5 business days.
Typical reference range layout
Lab reports show where your value sits relative to established reference intervals—your physician interprets this in context for you. Already have results? Analyze them with your AI assistant against our physician-reviewed ranges.
Collect a stool sample using the kit provided at the lab. No dietary restrictions required.
The short answer
Worth it when the real question is 'is this inflammatory bowel disease or just IBS?'. Fecal calprotectin is the most accurate non-invasive marker of intestinal inflammation, and a normal result can spare you an unnecessary colonoscopy - which is exactly why it is ordered before scoping in low-risk cases.
We would rather you order the right test than the most expensive one.
Calprotectin is a stool test, not a blood draw, so a mobile phlebotomist does not apply. You collect a small stool sample with the kit and return it to a Labcorp or Quest location - the analysis is the same reference-standard immunoassay whichever lab runs it. The 'labcorp fecal calprotectin' you may have been quoted is the identical test; on TestWell it is $189.99 self-pay versus the $249+ Quest Direct and $600 hospital-billed prices, with no doctor visit needed.
An at-home draw is not recommended for this test — it needs a lab-based collection to be accurate.
The markers that matter most and what an out-of-range value can mean. Reference ranges vary by lab, age and sex.
| Marker | Typical range | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Fecal calprotectin | Under ~50 mcg/g = normal | Under 50 makes significant intestinal inflammation (IBD) unlikely and points toward IBS; 50-120 is borderline and often repeated; over ~120-150 suggests active inflammation and usually warrants a colonoscopy or GI referral. |
This section medically reviewed by Youmna DiStefano, MD — updated July 2026. General health information, not medical advice; interpret results with a qualified clinician.
A Fecal Calprotectin (Stool) test costs $189.99 at TestWell — $195.99 all-in when ordered alone, because the $6 lab processing fee is charged once per order, with no draw fee or physician fee added. Ordered directly from the labs' own consumer sites, the same test lists at $139.00 at Labcorp OnDemand (list prices checked Sep 12, 2026). Hospital outpatient labs typically bill around $600.00 self-pay for the same test, and often more. With insurance, what you pay depends on your deductible and your plan's negotiated rate; TestWell's price is fixed before the draw and is HSA/FSA-eligible. Full cost breakdown →
| Where you order | Price | One test, all-in | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| TestWell (drawn at Quest or Labcorp) | $189.99 | $195.99 | Includes the one $6 lab processing fee, charged once per order |
| Labcorp OnDemand (Labcorp's own site) | $139.00 | $139.00 | list price checked Sep 12, 2026 |
| Hospital outpatient lab, self-pay (typical) | $600.00 | $600.00 | Reference figure; hospital charges vary widely by facility and are often higher |
Lab test codes: Quest test code 16796 · Labcorp test no. 123255. Competitor prices are read from the linked public pages and re-checked regularly; the labs' sites may add taxes or change prices without notice.
Compare more: Quest Diagnostics price list · Labcorp price list · Quest vs Labcorp · Lab test price checker
It measures calprotectin, a protein released by neutrophils (white blood cells) into the gut when the intestinal lining is inflamed. Because it stays stable in stool for days, the level closely tracks how much active inflammation is present in the intestines.
Most labs read under 50 µg/g as normal, 50–120 µg/g as borderline (repeat or correlate with symptoms), and above 120 µg/g as elevated — suggesting active intestinal inflammation that warrants further work-up. Exact cutoffs vary slightly by lab and assay.
IBD (Crohn's, ulcerative colitis) causes true intestinal inflammation, so calprotectin is usually elevated. IBS is a functional disorder without inflammation, so calprotectin is typically normal. A normal result makes IBD unlikely and points toward IBS; an elevated result points toward IBD and the need for endoscopic evaluation.
No fasting and no dietary restrictions — it's a single stool sample collected with the kit provided. If possible, avoid NSAIDs (ibuprofen, naproxen) for a few days beforehand; they can raise calprotectin and cause a false positive.
On TestWell, fecal calprotectin is $189.99 all-in. Quest Direct lists a comparable test around $249, and hospital labs often bill $600 or more without insurance. Same CLIA-certified labs (Quest or Labcorp), no doctor visit required.
The CPT code for fecal calprotectin is 83993. Cash-pay patients don't need a CPT code to order through TestWell — it's listed here for your records or HSA/FSA reimbursement.
CRP measures systemic inflammation anywhere in the body from a blood draw; calprotectin is gut-specific and comes from a stool sample. They're complementary — many GI work-ups run both. For broader digestive screening, the Gut Health Panel bundles calprotectin with related markers.
Yes — TestWell orders run at Labcorp or Quest, whichever is convenient for you, and it's the same fecal calprotectin immunoassay either way (CPT 83993). You don't need Labcorp's internal test number or a doctor's requisition: order online for $189.99, drop the sample kit at a nearby location, and results post to your portal in 3–5 business days.
No, but it helps decide who needs one. A normal calprotectin makes significant intestinal inflammation unlikely and can help low-risk patients avoid an unnecessary colonoscopy. Red-flag symptoms — rectal bleeding, anemia, weight loss, or being over 45 — still warrant endoscopic evaluation regardless of the result.
For diagnosed Crohn's or ulcerative colitis, many gastroenterologists recheck calprotectin every 3–6 months, or whenever symptoms change, to track disease activity and catch a relapse early — a rising trend often precedes a flare.
Yes. It is the same fecal calprotectin immunoassay run at Labcorp or Quest - the CLIA-certified labs your doctor already uses. The only difference is you order it yourself online without a doctor's visit, and the cash-pay price is $189.99 rather than the $249+ consumer or $600 hospital-billed rates. Results come back in 3-5 business days.
As a rule of thumb, a result under ~50 mcg/g makes inflammatory bowel disease unlikely and is more consistent with IBS, while a level over ~120-150 mcg/g suggests active intestinal inflammation that warrants a colonoscopy or GI referral. Values in between are often rechecked. Cutoffs vary by lab, and this is general information, not a diagnosis.
Sometimes. In people at low risk, a normal fecal calprotectin makes significant IBD unlikely enough that a colonoscopy can often be deferred - that is the main reason the test exists. A high result, on the other hand, is a strong reason to proceed with scoping. Your gastroenterologist makes the final call, but the number meaningfully informs it.
NSAIDs like ibuprofen and naproxen can inflame the gut lining and push calprotectin up, causing a falsely elevated result. If it is safe for you, providers often suggest pausing them for a couple of weeks beforehand - but never stop a prescribed medication without checking first. No fasting or dietary changes are required.
Ordered directly, a Fecal Calprotectin (Stool) test lists at $139.00 at Labcorp OnDemand (prices checked September 2026). TestWell orders the same test at the same Quest or Labcorp patient service centers for $189.99 — $195.99 all-in with the $6 per-order lab processing fee — paid out of pocket at checkout with no insurance, doctor's visit or draw fee; HSA and FSA cards are accepted.
Fecal Calprotectin (Stool) test results are typically ready in 3–5 business days after your draw at Quest or Labcorp. TestWell emails you the moment they post, and your results dashboard shows each marker against its reference range with a plain-English explanation.
Order the Fecal Calprotectin (Stool) test online from TestWell for $189.99 (plus a $6 per-order lab processing fee) — no doctor's visit, referral or insurance needed. A licensed physician authorizes the order, then you walk into any Quest or Labcorp patient service center near you for the draw (the lab locator on our site lists the closest ones by ZIP code), and results arrive in 3–5 business days.
The Fecal Calprotectin (Stool) test is Quest Diagnostics test code 16796, Labcorp test number 123255 (CPT 83993). TestWell orders it under those codes for $189.99 at Quest or Labcorp — no doctor's visit or insurance required, results in 3–5 business days. Codes verified against the labs' catalogs in 2026.
Medically reviewed by Youmna DiStefano, MD · Last reviewed September 2026
TestWell Price
$189.99
+ $6 lab processing fee at checkout
No insurance needed · HIPAA compliant
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Fecal Calprotectin (Stool)
$189.99