Urinanalysis

Urinalysis is a diagnostic tool used to detect and manage various disorders including:

• Urinary Tract Infections (UTI’s)
• Kidney Disease
• Diabetes

The test is a quick and economical way of monitoring patient progress to see whether or not certain conditions are improving.

There are three primary methods used to examine the sample:

Visual Examination

The doctor will look for any abnormalities in appearance or smell which can indicate an infection or blood in your urine.

Dipstick Test

The doctor will insert a chemically treated stick in your sample and it will change colour depending on the substances present in the urine. The test looks out for:

• Blood
• pH levels or acidity – high pH can indicate urinary tract or kidney issues
• Bilirubin – can indicate red blood cell death
• Sugars – can indicate diabetes
• Protein

Microscopic Exam

In this exam, urine is placed under the microscope to look out for:

• Crystals – can indicate kidney stones
• Abnormal red or white blood cells – may be a sign of infection, kidney disease, bladder or blood cancer
• Epithelial cells – can indicate the presence of a tumour
• Infections or yeasts