The urinalysis is used as a screening and/or diagnostic tool because it can help detect substances or cellular material in the urine associated with different metabolic and kidney disorders. It is ordered widely and routinely to detect any abnormalities that should be followed up on. Often, substances such as protein or glucose will begin to appear in the urine before patients are aware that they may have a problem. It is used to detect urinary tract infections (UTI) and other disorders of the urinary tract. In patients with acute or chronic conditions, such as kidney disease, the urinalysis may be ordered at intervals as a rapid method to help monitor organ function, status, and response to treatment.

A routine urinalysis may be done when you are admitted to the hospital. It may also be part of a wellness exam, a new pregnancy evaluation, or a work-up for a planned surgery. A urinalysis will most likely be performed if you see your health care provider complaining of abdominal pain, back pain, painful or frequent urination, or blood in the urine, symptoms of a UTI. This test can also be useful in monitoring whether a condition is getting better or worse.

Urinalysis results can have many interpretations. They are a red flag, a warning that something may be wrong and should be evaluated further. Generally, the greater the concentration of the abnormal substance (such as greatly increased amounts of glucose, protein, or red blood cells), the more likely it will be that there is a problem that needs to be addressed. But the results do not tell the doctor exactly what the cause of the finding is or whether it is a temporary or chronic condition. A normal urinalysis also does not guarantee that there is no illness. Some people will not release elevated amounts of a substance early in a disease process and some will release them sporadically during the day (which means they may be missed by a single urine sample). In very dilute urine, small quantities of chemicals may be undetectable.

The urinalysis is a set of screening tests that can provide a general overview of a person’s health. Your doctor must correlate the urinalysis results with your health complaints and clinical findings and search for the causes of abnormal findings with other targeted tests (such as a comprehensive metabolic panel (CMP), complete blood count (CBC), or urine culture (to look for a urinary tract infection).