Storing a urine sample
If you can't hand your urine sample in within 1 hour, you should put the container in a
sealed plastic bag then store it in the fridge at around 4C. Do not keep it for longer than
24 hours.
The bacteria in the urine sample can multiply if it is not kept in a fridge. If this happens,
it could affect the test results.
What urine samples are used for?
Your GP or another healthcare professional may ask for a urine sample to help them
diagnose or rule out certain health conditions.
Urine contains waste products that are filtered out of the body. If the sample contains
anything unusual, it may indicate an underlying health problem.
Urine tests are most commonly done to check:
for infections – such as a urinary tract infection (UTI) or some sexually
transmitted infections (STIs) such as chlamydia in men
if you are passing any protein in your urine as a result of kidney damage – this is
known as an ACR test
Why Get Tested?
To be screened for the early detection of kidney disease occurring as a
complication of diabetes or hypertension (high blood pressure)
What is being tested?
Albumin is a protein that is present in the blood. When the kidneys are working properly,
only tiny amounts of albumin pass from the bloodstream into the urine. In kidney failure
(the last stage of a slow process of decline in kidney function) large amounts of protein
leak into the urine. A long time before this amount of damage, small changes in the
kidney allow very small, but abnormal amounts of albumin to leak through, often as a
result of having diabetes. Too little albumin is present to be detected by the usual
simple urine test strip (sometimes called a protein dipstick). This is termed
microalbuminuria because of the low but significant concentration of albumin in the
urine, not because it is a smaller type of the protein. Microalbuminuria is usually simply
called albuminuria.
Glossary of Common Urologic Terms
Azoospermia: The absence of sperm in the semen.
Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH): A benign enlargement of the prostate
gland.
Brachytherapy: A type of radiation therapy in which radioactive materials are
placed in direct contact with the tissue being treated.
Chronic Prostatitis: Inflammation of the prostate gland, developing slowly and
lasting a long time.
Cryosurgery: A surgical technique that utilizes freezing tissue to remove
unwanted portions.
Cryptorchidism: A developmental defect characterized by failure of the testes
to descend into the scrotum.
Cryotherapy: The therapeutic use of cold to reduce discomfort.
Cystitis: Inflammation of the bladder often marked by painful urination.
Cystocele: A condition where the bladder herniates into the vaginal canal.
This usually results in stress incontinence.
Cystectomy: Surgical removal of the bladder.
Cystoscopy: A flexible scope inserted into the urethra and then into the
bladder to determine abnormalities in the bladder and lower urinary tract.
Cystogram: X-ray of the bladder obtained by placing a catheter into the
bladder and then filling the bladder with contrast material.
Enuresis: Involuntary discharge of urine.
Erectile Dysfunction: A consistent inability to sustain an erection sufficient for
sexual intercourse.
Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy (ESWL): A procedure that uses sound
waves delivered inside a water bath to pulverize kidney stones painlessly
inside the body.
Hematuria: Blood in the urine.
Hydrocele: An accumulation of serous fluid in a sac-like cavity adjacent to the
testicle.
Hydronephrosis: Dilation of the collecting system of the kidney because of an
obstruction.
Hypospadias: A congenital abnormality in which the urethra opens on the
underside of the penis.
Impotence: A consistent inability to sustain an erection sufficient for sexual
intercourse.
Incontinence: Loss of bladder control.
Interstitial Cystitis: A chronic inflammatory condition of the bladder. Symptoms
include difficulty urinating, pain on urination, urinary urgency, and increased
frequency of urination.
Intravenous Pyelogram (IVP): An x-ray of the urinary tract where dye is
injected to make urine visible on the x-ray and show any blockage in the
urinary tract.
Kegel Exercises: An exercise to improve a woman’s ability to hold in her urine
by tightening and then relaxing the muscles that hold urine in the bladder.
Kidneys: The two bean-shaped organs that filter wastes from the blood. The
kidneys are located near the middle of the back. They send urine to the
bladder through tubes called ureters.
Kidney Stone: A stone that develops from crystals that form in the urine and
build up on the inner surfaces of the kidney, in the renal pelvis, or in the
ureters.
Laparoscopy: Surgery using a laparoscope to visualize an internal organ
through a small incision. Generally less invasive than traditional surgeries.
Lithotripsy: A procedure to break up kidney stones using ultrasonic shock
waves.
Nephrectomy: Removal of an entire kidney.
Nephrolithiasis: Kidney stones.
Neurogenic Bladder: Loss of bladder control caused by damage to the nerves
controlling the bladder.
Orchiectomy: Removal of a testicle
Peyronie’s Disease: A plaque (hardened area) that forms on the penis,
preventing that area from stretching. During erection, the penis bends in the
direction of the plaque or the plaque may lead to indentation and shortening of
the penis.
Priapism: Persistent abnormal erection of the penis, usually without desire
and accompanied by pain and tenderness.
Prostate: In men, a walnut-shaped gland that surrounds the urethra at the
neck of the bladder. The prostate supplies fluid that goes into semen.
Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA): A protein made only by the prostate gland.
High levels of PSA in the blood may be a sign of prostate cancer.
Prostatectomy: The surgical removal of the prostate gland.
Prostatitis: Inflammation of the prostate gland.
Proteinuria: The presence of protein in the urine, indicating that the kidneys
may not be working properly.
Pubovaginal Sling: A surgical procedure for treating urinary incontinence
involving the placement of a sling made either of tissue obtained from the
person undergoing the sling procedure or a synthetic material.
Pyuria: Pus in the urine.
Pyelonephritis: An infection of the kidneys, usually caused by a germ that has
traveled up through the urethra, bladder, and ureter(s) from outside the body.
Radical Perineal Prostatectomy: Removal of the entire prostate gland and the
seminal vesicles through a perineal incision.
Renal Calculi: A kidney stone.
Renal Pelvis: Funnel shaped structure collecting urine from the kidney and
delivering it to the ureter.
Seminal Vesicle: A paired accessory sex gland in the male located above the
prostate and behind the bladder.
Stress Urinary Incontinence: (SUI) Leakage of urine caused by actions such
as coughing, laughing, sneezing, running, or lifting that places pressure on the
bladder from inside the body. Stress urinary incontinence can result from
either a fallen bladder or weak sphincter muscle.
Ureter: The tube which drains urine from the kidney to the bladder.
Ureteropelvic Junction (UPJ): Where the ureter joins the renal pelvis.
Ureteropelvic Junction (UPJ) Obstruction: A condition where blockage occurs
at the junction where the ureter attaches to the kidney.
Urethra: The channel which conducts urine from the bladder to the outside.
Ureteral Calculi: A kidney stone which has dropped down into the ureter.
Ureterocele: A sacular dilation of the terminal portion of the ureter.
Urinalysis: A study of the urine by chemical and microscopic techniques to
determine any abnormal findings.
Urinary Incontinence: Involuntary loss of urine.
Urinary Tract Infection (UTI): Infection caused by bacteria that invade the
urinary system and multiply.
Urodynamics: Diagnostic tests to examine bladder and urethral sphincter
function.
Urolithiasis: Stones in the urinary system.
Varicocele: Dilation (enlargement) of the veins along the spermatic cord (vas
deferens).
Vas Deferens: The excretory duct of the testis that conveys sperm.
Vasectomy: A surgical sterilization performed in males where a segment of
the vas deferens is removed.
Vasovasostomy: Vasectomy reversal.
Vesicovaginal Fistula: An abnormal passage between the bladder and the
vagina.
The 24 h urine amount of the normal
person is about 1000–
2000 mL. Oliguria is defined as a
urine output that is less than
400 mL/24 h or less than 17 mL/h in
adults. Anuria is defined as urine
output that is less than 100 mL/24 h
or 0 mL/12 h. Polyuria is a condition
characterized that there is large
volumes of urine (at least 3000 mL
over 24 h). Many factors affect the
urine volume.
