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A urinalysis (or "UA") is an array of tests performed on urine and one of the most common methods of medical diagnosis.1 A part of a urinalysis can be performed by using urine dipsticks, in which the test results can be read as color changes.
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Medical urinalysis
A typical medical urinalysis usually includes:
- a description of color and appearance.
- specific gravity - normally 1.010 to 1.030. This test detects ion concentration of the urine. Small amounts of protein or ketoacidosis tend to elevate results of the specific gravity.
- pH - normally 4.8 to 7.5.
- ketone bodies - normally negative (absent)
- protein - normally negative (absent)
- urobilinogen
- bilirubin
- glucose - normally negative (absent)
- RBC number
- WBC number
- hCG - normally absent, this hormone appears in the urine of pregnant women. Home pregnancy tests commonly detect this substance.
Microscopic examination
The numbers and types of cells and/or material such as urinary casts can yield a great detail of information and may suggest a specific diagnosis.
- eosinophiluria - associated with allergic interstitial nephritis, atheroembolic disease
- RBC casts - associated with glomerulonephritis, vasculitis, malignant hypertension
- WBC casts - associated with acute interstitial nephritis, exudative glomerulonephritis, severe pyelonephritis
- (heme) granular casts - associated with acute tubular necrosis
- crystalluria -- associated with acute urate nephropathy (or "Acute uric acid nephropathy", AUAN)
- calcium oxalate - associated with ethylene glycol toxicity
See also
- uroscopy, the ancient form of this analysis
- Medical technologist
References
- ^ Simerville JA, Maxted WC, Pahira JJ (March 2005). "Urinalysis: a comprehensive review". American family physician 71 (6): 1153–62. PMID 15791892, http://www.aafp.org/afp/20050315/1153.html.
External links
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Wikipedia content modification information:
- This page was last modified on 20 November 2008, at 04:00.
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