Lab tests
Urinalysis results explained
A urine report combines what the sample looked like, a dipstick test and often a look under the microscope, each with its own shorthand. Add your report below to see the three parts separated and every term explained.
Explain your urinalysis report
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What you get
- Appearance, dipstick and microscopy results listed separately.
- Gradings such as negative, trace and 1+ to 4+ explained.
- Units such as /HPF and /LPF written out.
- Questions to ask about any finding your report marks as abnormal.
What a urinalysis usually reports
- Colour and appearanceFor example clear, cloudy or turbid
- Specific gravityHow concentrated the urine is
- pHHow acidic or alkaline the urine is
- Dipstick testsProtein, glucose, ketones, blood, bilirubin, nitrite and leukocyte esterase
- MicroscopyRed cells, white cells, epithelial cells, casts, crystals and bacteria
What this tool cannot tell you
Urine results depend heavily on how the sample was collected and how long it waited before testing, and many findings need a repeat sample or a culture before anyone can say what they mean. MedicDecode explains the terms and values. It does not diagnose an infection or any other condition.
Common questions
How do I read my urine test results?
A report has three parts: appearance, the dipstick (protein, glucose, blood, leukocytes, nitrite and more) and sometimes microscopy. Each line has its own result and reference.
What does it mean if there are leukocytes in urine?
Leukocyte esterase comes from white blood cells. It can appear with an infection or inflammation, and also from a sample that picked up cells during collection.
What urinalysis results suggest a UTI?
Doctors look at nitrite, leukocytes, white cells and bacteria together, with your symptoms. A urine culture is usually what confirms an infection.
What do trace, 1+ and 2+ mean?
They are steps on a rough scale read from the colour change on a dipstick, from none (negative) through trace up to 3+ or 4+. They indicate more or less of a substance, not an exact amount.
What does /HPF mean?
Per high-power field: the number of cells seen in one view through the microscope at high magnification. Reports usually give a range, such as 3-5 /HPF.
Why does my report mention epithelial cells?
These are cells shed from the lining of the urinary tract or from skin. Laboratories count them partly because a large number can suggest the sample picked up skin cells during collection.
Words you may see on this report
Tap a word for its plain-English meaning, an example line and what it does not mean.
- Ketones
Ketones are substances the body makes when it burns fat for energy instead of sugar; they can be measured in urine or blood.
- Microalbumin
Microalbumin is a test for small amounts of a protein called albumin in urine, an early sign that the kidneys may be leaking protein.
- Urine Protein
Urine protein measures how much protein is passing into your urine; healthy kidneys normally let very little through.
- ALT (Alanine Aminotransferase)
ALT is an enzyme found mainly in the liver; when liver cells are irritated or damaged, more ALT leaks into the blood.
- AST (Aspartate Aminotransferase)
AST is an enzyme found in the liver, muscles, heart and other tissues; raised levels can signal stress or damage in one of these.
- Bilirubin
Bilirubin is a yellow substance made when old red blood cells break down; the liver processes it so it can leave the body.
- Creatinine
Creatinine is a waste product from normal muscle activity that the kidneys filter out, so its blood level helps show how well the kidneys work.
- CRP (C-Reactive Protein)
CRP is a protein made by the liver that rises quickly when there is inflammation or infection in the body.
- Culture and Sensitivity
A culture and sensitivity test grows germs from a sample to identify them, then checks which antibiotics can stop them.
- eGFR (Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate)
eGFR is an estimate of how well your kidneys filter waste from your blood, calculated from a creatinine blood test plus details like age.
- Electrolytes
Electrolytes are minerals in the blood, such as sodium, potassium and chloride, that carry an electric charge and help the body work.
- ESR (Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate)
ESR measures how fast red blood cells sink in a tube of blood over an hour; a faster rate can be a general sign of inflammation.
Medicines connected to this test
Their official labels mention this kind of test. Each is explained in plain English.
- Albendazole
an anthelmintic drug, a medicine used to treat infections caused by parasitic worms
- Amoxicillin
a penicillin-class antibacterial medicine that works against bacteria
- Amoxicillin and Clavulanate Potassium
A penicillin-class antibacterial combined with a beta-lactamase inhibitor, as the label describes it
- Ampicillin Sodium
a penicillin-type antibacterial medicine
- Azithromycin
a macrolide antibacterial (antibiotic) medicine
- Ceftriaxone
A broad-spectrum cephalosporin antibiotic, as described on the official FDA label
- Cephalexin
a cephalosporin antibacterial medicine (an antibiotic that treats bacterial infections)
- Ciprofloxacin
a fluoroquinolone antibacterial medicine