A urinalysis is a test of your urine. A urinalysis is used to detect and manage a wide range of disorders, such as urinary tract infections, kidney disease and diabetes.

A urinalysis involves checking the appearance, concentration and content of urine. Abnormal urinalysis results may point to a disease or illness.

Why it's done

A urinalysis is a common test that's done for several reasons:

• To check your overall health. Your doctor may recommend a urinalysis as part of a routine medical exam, pregnancy checkup, pre-surgery preparation, or on hospital admission to screen for a variety of disorders, such as diabetes, kidney disease and liver disease.
• To diagnose a medical condition. Your doctor may suggest a urinalysis if you're experiencing abdominal pain, back pain, frequent or painful urination, blood in your urine, or other urinary problems. A urinalysis may help diagnose the cause of these symptoms.
• To monitor a medical condition. If you've been diagnosed with a medical condition, such as kidney disease or a urinary tract disease, your doctor may recommend a urinalysis on a regular basis to monitor your condition and treatment.

Other tests, such as pregnancy testing and drug screenings, also may rely on a urine sample, but these tests look for substances that aren't included in a typical urinalysis. For example, pregnancy testing measures a hormone called human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG). Drug screenings detect specific drugs or their metabolic products, depending on the purpose of the testing.

Steps

• Cleanse the urinary opening. Women should spread their labia and clean from front to back. Men should wipe the tip of the penis.
• Begin to urinate into the toilet.
• Pass the collection container into your urine stream.
• Urinate at least 1 to 2 ounces (30 to 59 milliliters) into the collection container.
• Finish urinating into the toilet.
• If you can't deliver the sample to the designated area within 60 minutes of collection, refrigerate the sample, unless you've been instructed otherwise by your doctor.

Examination and observation

Visual exam

A lab technician examines the urine's appearance. Urine is typically clear. Cloudiness or an unusual odour may indicate a problem, such as an infection.

Blood in the urine may make it look red or brown. Urine color can be influenced by what you've just eaten. For example, beets or rhubarb may add a red tint to your urine.

Dipstick test

• Acidity (pH)
• Concentration
• Protein
• Sugar Ketones
• Bilirubin
• Evidence of infection
• Blood

Microscopic exam

During this exam, several drops of urine are viewed with a microscope. If any of the following are observed in above-average levels, additional testing may be necessary:

• White blood cells (leukocytes) may be a sign of an infection.
• Red blood cells (erythrocytes) may be a sign of kidney disease, a blood disorder or another underlying medical condition, such as bladder cancer.
• Bacteria or yeasts may indicate an infection.
• Casts - tube-shaped proteins- may form as a result of kidney disorders.
• Crystals that form from chemicals in urine may be a sign of kidney stones.

Conclusion

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Journal of Kidney Treatment and Diagnosis