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 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 require follow up. 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. 

 

  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 when you see your health care provider complaining of symptoms of a UTI
or other urinary system problem such as kidney disease. Some signs and symptoms may include: 

Y abdominal pain
Y back pain
Y painful or frequent urination
Y blood in the urine

     

Urinalysis results can have many interpretations. Abnormal findings are a warning that something may be
wrong and should be evaluated further. Generally, the greater the concentration of the atypical
substance, such as greatly increased amounts of glucose, protein, or red blood cells, the more likely it is
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.

TESTS

Color: Pale yellow to amber Protein: Negative

Turbidity: Clear to slightly hazy Bilirubin: Negative

Specific Gravity: 1.015-1.025 Urobilinogen: 0.1-1.0

pH: 4.5-8.0 Nitrate: for Bacteria Negative

Glucose: Negative Leukocyte: Esterase Negative

Ketones: Negative Red Blood Cells: Negative or rare

Blood: Negative




 

  

The CBC is a very common test. Many patients will have baseline CBC tests to help determine their
general health status. If they are healthy and they have cell populations that are within normal limits, then
they may not require another CBC until their health status changes or until their doctor feels that it is
necessary.

If a patient is having symptoms such as fatigue or weakness or has an infection, inflammation, bruising,
or bleeding, then the doctor may order a CBC to help diagnose the cause. Significant increases in WBCs
may help confirm that an infection is present and suggest the need for further testing to identify its cause.
Decreases in the number of RBCs (anemia) can be further evaluated by changes in size or shape of the
RBCs to help determine if the cause might be decreased production, increased loss, or increased
destruction of RBCs. A platelet count that is low or extremely high may confirm the cause of excessive
bleeding or clotting and can also be associated with diseases of the bone marrow such as leukemia.

Many conditions will result in increases or decreases in the cell populations. Some of these conditions
may require treatment, while others will resolve on their own. Some diseases, such as cancer (and
chemotherapy treatment), can affect bone marrow production of cells, increasing the production of one
cell at the expense of others or decreasing overall cell production. Some medications can decrease WBC
counts while some vitamin and mineral deficiencies can cause anemia. The CBC test may be ordered by
the doctor on a regular basis to monitor these conditions and drug treatments.

Normal CBC values for babies and children may be different from adults and need to be considered when
interpreting data.

Normal Values

Y RBC count (varies with altitude):

m Male: 4.7 to 6.1 million cells/mcL
m Female: 4.2 to 5.4 million cells/mcL
Y WBC count: 4,500 to 10,000 cells/mcL
Y Hematocrit (varies with altitude):
m Male: 40.7 to 50.3 %
m Female: 36.1 to 44.3 %
Y Hemoglobin (varies with altitude):
m Male: 13.8 to 17.2 gm/dL
m Female: 12.1 to 15.1 gm/dL
Y MCV: 80 to 95 femtoliter
Y MCH: 27 to 31 pg/cell
Y MCHC: 32 to 36 gm/dL

(cells/mcL = cells per microliter; gm/dL = grams per deciliter; pg/cell = picograms per cell)

Note: Normal value ranges may vary slightly among different laboratories.

Î 
  



The main use for the FOBT is as a screen for early colon cancer. Blood in the stool may be the only
symptom of early cancer. If the cancer is detected early, the chance that it will be curable is increased.
The FOBT is not diagnostic for cancer; other follow-up procedures would need to be done to find the
source of the bleeding because the blood may also indicate other gastrointestinal problems.

A positive test result will tell your doctor that you have abnormal bleeding occurring somewhere in your
gastrointestinal tract. This blood loss could be due to ulcers, diverticulosis, bleeding polyps, inflammatory
bowel disease, hemorrhoids, from swallowed blood due to bleeding gums or nosebleeds, or it could be
due to benign or cancerous tumors.

è 

The stool appears brown, soft, and well-formed in consistency.

The stool does not contain blood, mucus, pus, harmful bacteria, viruses, fungi, or parasites.

The stool is shaped like a tube.

The pH of the stool is about 6.

The stool contains less than 2 milligrams per gram (mg/g) of sugars called reducing factors.

 

The stool is black, red, white, yellow, or green.

The stool is liquid or very hard.

There is too much stool.

The stool contains blood, mucus, pus, harmful bacteria, viruses, fungi, or parasites.

The stool contains low levels of enzymes, such as trypsin or elastase.

The pH of the stool is less than 5.3 or greater than 6.8.

The stool contains more than 5 mg/g of sugars called reducing factors; between 2 and 5 mg/g is
considered borderline.

The stool contains more than 7 g of fat (if your fat intake is about 100 g a day).