A standard urine test (urinalysis) covers a wide range of parameters. Here's a plain-language guide to the most common ones you'll see on your report.
Physical properties
- Colour — pale yellow is ideal; dark suggests dehydration; red or brown may indicate blood
- Clarity — clear is normal; cloudy can indicate infection or high protein
- Specific gravity — measures how concentrated the urine is; low means dilute, high means concentrated
- pH — normal is 4.5–8.0; acidic urine (low pH) is common with high-protein diets; alkaline with some infections
Chemical analysis
- Glucose — should be absent; presence may indicate diabetes
- Protein — trace amounts after exercise or fever can be normal; persistent protein needs investigation
- Ketones — present in fasting, low-carb diets or uncontrolled diabetes
- Nitrites — indicates bacterial infection
- Leukocyte esterase — indicates white blood cells; suggests infection or inflammation
- Blood — may indicate infection, stones, trauma or kidney disease
- Bilirubin — suggests liver disease if present
When microscopy is done
If the dipstick finds blood, protein or cells, the lab may spin down the sample and examine it under a microscope. They look for red and white blood cells, bacteria, casts (cylindrical structures indicating kidney disease) and crystals. The microscopy report gives your doctor more specific information about where in the urinary system the problem is occurring.