Urine Chemistry Tests:
Your kidneys are bean-shaped organs, each about the size of your fist. They are located near the middle of your back, just below the rib cage. The kidneys are sophisticated reprocessing machines. Every day, your kidneys process about 200 quarts of blood to sift out about 2 quarts of waste products and extra water. Creatinine is a waste product in the blood created by the normal breakdown of muscle cells during activity. Healthy kidneys take creatinine out of the blood and put it into the urine to leave the body. When kidneys are not working well, creatinine builds up in the blood.
Urine chemistry is checked for:
Blood Component Normal Values**
Nitrite Negative
PH (Acid/Alkaline) 5.0 to 8.0
Protein # Negative
Glucose Normal or negative
Ketones Negative
Urobilinogen Normal or negative
Bili Qual Negative
Blood Negative
Red Blood Cells Less than 1 per HPF
White Blood Cells 2 per HPF
**Measured values can vary from normal due to disease, medications, or medication interactions.
Urine Microscopic Tests:
Urine is checked for the following:
Cell abnormalities
White blood cells
Red blood cells
Transitional epithelial cells
Squamous epithelial cells
Renal tubular epithelial cells
Fat Globules and Oval Fat Bodies
Microorganisms:
• Yeast
• Bacteria
• Trichomonas vaginalis
• Clinically Significant Casts
• Tamm-Horsfall protein
• Crystals (Most crystals are not clinically significant)
• Crystals may be counted if abnormal.
• Abnormal crystals may indicate pH problems
• Miscellaneous Elements and Artifacts
• Mucus
• Sperm
• Artifacts