Urinalysis

Urinalysis Tests at Wellstar

Your Wellstar physician may recommend a urine test (urinalysis) as part of a physical examination to detect and assess a wide range of disorders, including urinary tract infection, kidney disorders and diabetes or to diagnose or monitor a health condition, such as a kidney infection. Typically, you will not have to do anything special to prepare for a urinalysis, but let your doctor know of any medications or supplements you are on, as some may affect your urine.

During the Procedure

Depending on the reason for the sample, you may collect it at home (in a physician-provided container) or at your doctor's office. You may need to collect the sample first thing in the morning when your urine is more concentrated, and abnormal results may be more obvious. Follow these steps to collect a mid-stream, clean-catch specimen:

• Clean the urinary opening.
• Begin urinating into the toilet.
• Stop urinating.
• Resume, urinating 1-2 ounces into the container.
• Finish urinating into the toilet.
• Deliver the sample as directed by your doctor.
• Your urine sample will be sent to Wellstar's Lab Services for analysis.
• You can return to your usual activities immediately.

After the procedure

There are three steps that Wellstar pathologists perform when doing a urinalysis:

Visual Exam

• Urine is generally clear.
• Cloudiness or unusual odor may indicate a problem, such as an infection.
• Blood in the urine may make it look red or brown.

Dipstick Test

A thin, plastic stick with pads of chemicals on it that will change color when they come in contact with urine—is placed in the urine to detect abnormalities such as the following:

• Abnormal pH levels may indicate a kidney or urinary tract disorder.
• The concentration of particles in your urine. Higher than normal concentration may indicate dehydration or a kidney disorder.
• Urine protein levels are normally low and not detected by a dipstick test. Small increases in protein usually aren't a cause for concern. Larger amounts of protein in the urine may indicate a kidney problem.
• Normally the amount of sugar (glucose) in urine is too low to be detected. Detection of sugar usually calls for follow-up testing for diabetes.
• Any amount of ketones detected in your urine could be a sign of diabetes and requires follow-up testing.
• Bilirubin in your urine may indicate liver damage or disease.
• If either nitrites or leukocyte esterase—a product of white blood cells—is detected in your urine, it may be a sign of a urinary tract infection.
• Blood in your urine may be a sign of kidney damage, kidney stones, infection, blood disorders or bladder cancer, among other disorders, and requires additional testing.

Microscopic Exam

Drops of your urine are examined under a microscope. Observation of any of the following in above-average levels indicates a need for additional testing:

• White blood cells, bacteria or yeasts may indicate an infection.
• Red blood cells may indicate kidney disorders, blood disorders or another medical condition, such as bladder cancer.
• Epithelial cells—cells that line hollow organs, such as your stomach or intestine, and form your skin—may be signs of a tumor. Though they more often indicate the sample was contaminated during the test, and a new sample is needed.
• Casts—tube-shaped proteins—may indicate kidney disorders.
• Crystals may be a sign of kidney stones.

Your Wellstar physician will go over the results of your tests with you and recommend any follow-up testing or treatment.