Alternative names
Urine chemistry

Definition
Urine chemistry is a generic term used to reference a group of tests that may be performed on a urine sample.

How the test is performed
Child or adult:
Collect a “clean-catch” (midstream) urine sample. To obtain a clean-catch sample, men or boys should wipe clean the head of the penis. Women or girls need to wash the area between the lips of the vagina with soapy water and rinse well. As you start to urinate, allow a small amount to fall into the toilet bowl (this clears the urethra of contaminants). Then, in a clean container, catch about 1 to 2 ounces of urine and remove the container from the urine stream. Give the container to the health care provider or assistant.

Infant:
Thoroughly wash the area around the urethra. Open a Urine collection bag (a plastic bag with an adhesive paper on one end), and place it on your infant. For males, the entire penis can be placed in the bag and the adhesive attached to the skin. For females, the bag is placed over the labia. Place a diaper over the infant (bag and all). Check your baby frequently and remove the bag after the infant has urinated into it. For active infants, this procedure may take a couple of attempts - lively infants can displace the bag, causing an inability to obtain the specimen. The urine is drained into a container for transport back to the health care provider.

In the laboratory the specific test, as ordered by your health care provider, is performed.

How to prepare for the test
For detailed information about how to prepare for the test, how the test will feel, risks associated with the test, and normal and abnormal values, please see the specific test as ordered by your health care provider:

 
• 24-hours urinary aldosterone excretion rate  
• porphyrins; urine  
• amylase, urine  
• myoglobin - urine  
• HCG (qualitative - urine)  
• 24-hour urine Cu  
• urinalysis  
• RBC; urine  
• ketones - urine  
• urine pH  
• urine specific gravity  
• urinary casts  
• protein, urine  
• glucose - urine  
• urea nitrogen; urine  
• osmolality, urine  
• urine concentration test  
• acid loading test (pH)  
• creatinine - urine  
• 24 hrs urine protein  
• cortisol, urine  
• calcium; urine  
• vanillylmandelic acid (VMA)  
• norepinephrine-urine test  
• dopamine-urine test  
• adrenalin-urine test  
• epinephrine-urine test  
• urine metanephrine  
• normetanephrine  
• homovanillic acid (HVA)  
• citric acid urine test  
• electrolytes - urine  
• sodium, urine  
• potassium; urine  
• bilirubin; urine  
• protein electrophoresis - urine  
• immunoelectrophoresis - urine  
• immunofixation - urine  
• urine Bence-Jones protein  
• uric acid, urine  
• urine culture (clean catch)  
• urine culture (catheterized specimen)  
• cytology exam of urine  
• leucine aminopeptidase - urine  
• estriol - urine  
• urine dermatan sulfate  
• urine amino acids  
• urine - hemoglobin  
• urine reducing substances

Medical Encyclopedia

All ArmMed Media material is provided for information only and is neither advice nor a substitute for proper medical care. Consult a qualified healthcare professional who understands your particular history for individual concerns.