Health Library
Urinalysis
Urine appearance and color; Routine urine test; Cystitis - urinalysis; Bladder infection - urinalysis; UTI - urinalysis; Urinary tract infection - urinalysis; Hematuria - urinalysis
Urinalysis is the physical, chemical, and microscopic examination of urine. It involves a number of tests to detect and measure various compounds that pass through the urine.
Images
I Would Like to Learn About:
How the Test is Performed
A urine sample is needed. Your health care provider will tell you what type of urine sample is needed. Two common methods of collecting urine are 24-hour urine collection and clean catch urine specimen.
The sample is sent to a lab, where it is examined for the following:
PHYSICAL COLOR AND APPEARANCE
How the urine sample looks to the naked eye:
- Is it clear or cloudy?
- Is it pale, or dark yellow, or another color?
MICROSCOPIC APPEARANCE
The urine sample is examined under a microscope to:
- Check if there are any cells, urine crystals, urinary casts, mucus, and other substances.
- Identify any bacteria or other germs.
CHEMICAL TESTS (urine chemistry)
- A special strip (dipstick) is used to test for substances in the urine sample. The strip has pads of chemicals that change color when they come in contact with substances of interest.
Examples of specific urinalysis tests that may be done to check for problems include:
- Red blood cell urine test
- Glucose urine test
- Protein urine test
- Urine pH level test
- Ketones urine test
- Bilirubin urine test
- Urine specific gravity test
How to Prepare for the Test
Certain medicines change the color of urine, but this is not a sign of disease. Your provider may tell you to stop taking any medicines that can affect test results.
Medicines that can change your urine color include:
- Chloroquine
- Iron supplements
- Levodopa
- Nitrofurantoin
- Phenazopyridine
- Phenothiazine
- Phenytoin
- Riboflavin
- Triamterene
How the Test will Feel
The test involves only normal urination, and there is no discomfort.
Why the Test is Performed
A urinalysis may be done:
- As part of a routine medical exam to screen for early signs of disease
- If you have signs of diabetes or kidney disease, or to monitor you if you are being treated for these conditions
- To check for blood in the urine
- To diagnose a urinary tract infection
Normal Results
Normal urine varies in color from almost colorless to dark yellow. Some foods, such as beets and blackberries, may turn urine red.
Usually, glucose, ketones, protein, and bilirubin are not detectable in urine. The following are not normally found in urine:
- Hemoglobin
- Nitrites
- Red blood cells
- White blood cells
Normal value ranges may vary slightly among different laboratories. Some labs use different measurements or test different samples. Talk to your provider about the meaning of your specific test results.
What Abnormal Results Mean
Abnormal results may mean you have an illness, such as:
- Kidney disease
- Urinary tract infection
- Kidney stones
- Poorly controlled diabetes
- Bladder or kidney cancer
Your provider can discuss the results with you.
Risks
There are no risks with this test.
Considerations
If a home test is used, the person reading the results must be able to tell the difference between colors, because the results are interpreted using a color chart.
Related Information
Urinary tract infection - adultsDiabetes
Urine - bloody
Protein in diet
Vitamin C
Acute nephritic syndrome
Acute tubular necrosis
Alkalosis
Alport syndrome
Analgesic nephropathy
Anorexia
Atheroembolic renal disease
Bladder stones
Urinary tract infection - children
Chronic kidney disease
Congenital nephrotic syndrome
Cystinuria
Delirium
Dementia
Dementia due to metabolic causes
Central diabetes insipidus
Diabetes and kidney disease
Epididymitis
Failure to thrive
Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis
Anti-glomerular basement membrane disease
Heart failure
Hemolytic-uremic syndrome
IgA vasculitis - Henoch-Schonlein purpura
Type 1 diabetes
IgA nephropathy
Injury - kidney and ureter
Interstitial nephritis
Urge incontinence
Lupus nephritis
Malignant hypertension
Autosomal dominant tubulointerstitial kidney disease
Membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis
Membranous nephropathy
Myelomeningocele
Necrotizing vasculitis
Nephrotic syndrome
Type 2 diabetes
Orchitis
Ovarian cancer
Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH)
Polycystic kidney disease
Poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis (GN)
Prerenal azotemia
Primary amyloidosis
Prostate cancer
Prostatitis - bacterial
Reflux nephropathy
Renal papillary necrosis
Distal renal tubular acidosis
Proximal renal tubular acidosis
Renal vein thrombosis
Retrograde ejaculation
Rhabdomyolysis
Secondary systemic amyloidosis
Stress urinary incontinence
Systemic lupus erythematosus
Scleroderma
Traumatic injury of the bladder and urethra
Ureterocele
Urethral stricture
Urethritis
Granulomatosis with polyangiitis
Wilms tumor
References
Riley RS, McPherson RA. Basic examination of urine. In: McPherson RA, Pincus MR, eds. Henry's Clinical Diagnosis and Management by Laboratory Methods. 24th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 29.
Sobel JD, Brown P. Urinary tract infections. In: Bennett JE, Dolin R, Blaser MJ, eds. Mandell, Douglas, and Bennett's Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases. 9th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 72.
BACK TO TOPReview Date: 2/2/2023
Reviewed By: Linda J. Vorvick, MD, Clinical Professor, Department of Family Medicine, UW Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, for Health Content Provider (www.urac.org). URAC's accreditation program is an independent audit to verify that A.D.A.M. follows rigorous standards of quality and accountability. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. Learn more about A.D.A.M.'s editorial policy, editorial process and privacy policy. A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics. This site complies with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information: verify here. |
The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. No warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, is made as to the accuracy, reliability, timeliness, or correctness of any translations made by a third-party service of the information provided herein into any other language. © 1997- 2024 A.D.A.M., a business unit of Ebix, Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.