For Patients
Analysis of urine specimens is the most commonly performed laboratory test in medicine today. Urine can be evaluated for:
Physical Properties – Cloudy, red, or reddish-brown may mean that you have blood, pus, or kidney stones in your urine. Particular odors such as a maple syrup, rotting fish, or a mousy smell can indicate certain diseases.
Chemical Properties – Reagent strips (specially treated strips of paper) or dipsticks can provide information on the acidity of your urine and whether it contains blood, protein, or sugar.
Microscopic Properties – Can show bacteria, red or white blood cells, and tumor cells in the urine when evaluated under a microscope.
Urinalysis is used to screen for kidney infections, stones, or disease, diabetes mellitus, metabolic diseases, liver problems, hypertension, liver disease, urinary tract infection, lupus, congestive heart failure, cancer, muscle breakdown, blood in the urine, and various other related conditions.
KOVA® International developed the KOVA® Urinalysis System, which consists of specially designed tubes, caps, decanters, slides, stains and QC products to standardize the critical steps from sample collection to analysis in the lab. The KOVA® Urinalysis System reduces significant sources of error, assuring that the doctor gets more dependable results to support your diagnosis and treatment. Ask if your laboratory uses the KOVA® Urinalysis System to assure better results.
For more information about urinalysis:
Resources
Publications, journal articles and materials regarding urinalysis.
- Urinalysis; Approved Guideline – Third Edition. CLSI Document GP16-A3. (ISBN 1-56238-687-5). Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute.
- Clinical evaluation of a urine transport kit with lyophilized preservative for culture, urinalysis and sediment microscopy.
- Weinstein MP – Diag Microbiol Infect Dis. 1985;3:501-508
- Quality assurance in urinalysis.
- Haber MH. Clinics in Lab Med. 1988;8:432-436
- Timeliness of urinalysis
- Howanitz PJ, et al. A College of American Pathologists Q-Probes study of 346 small hospitals.Arch Pathol Lab Med. 1997;121:667-672
- Is a preservative required for routine urinalysis?
- Rafael J, et al. Am J Clin Pathol. 1997;108:344.
- Evaluation of a standardized procedure for counting microscopic cells in body fluids
- Emerson, JF and Emerson SS. J Clin Lab Anal 19:267-275 (2005)
- Zell - und Partikelzählung im Urin: Vergleich von Durchfluss-Zytometrie UF-100, KOVA-Zählkammersystem und Urinsediment
- Ottiger, C and Huber, AR. LabmedMay:172-176 (2003)
- Standardization of urine particle counting in Switzerland: Flow cytometry UF-100 and disposable KOVA® Cell Chamber System
- Ottiger, C and Huber, AR
- Urinalysis: A comprehensive review
- Somerville JA, Maxted WC and Pahira JJ. Am Fam Physician. 71(6):1153–1162, 2005
- Quantitative urine particle analysis: integrative approach for the optimal combination of automation with UF-100 and microscopic review with KOVA® cell chamber
- Ottiger C, Huber AR. – Clin Chem. 2003 Apr;49(4):617-23
- Evaluation of the Sysmex UF-100 automated urinalysis analyzer
- Ben-Ezra J, Bork L, McPherson RA. – Clin Chem. 1998;44 (1):92-5
- Evaluation of a standardized procedure for counting microscopic cells in body fluids
- Emerson JF, Emerson SS. J Clin Lab Anal. 19 (12): 267-275, 2005
- Quantitative urine particle analysis: integrative approach for the optimal combination of automation with UF-100 and microscopic review with Kova cell chamber
- Ottiger C, Huber AR. Clin Chem. 49 (4): 617-623, 2003
- Zell- und PartikelzählungimUrin: Vergleich von Durchfluss-Zytometrie UF-100, KOVA-Zählkammersystem und Urinsediment (Article in German)
- Ottiger C, Huber AR. Labmed. 2003: 172-176, 2003
- Evaluation of the Sysmex UF-100 automated urinalysis analyzer
- Ben-Ezra J et al. Clin Chem. 44 (1): 92-95, 1998
- Comparison of various methods for the enumeration of blood cells in urine
- McGinley M et al. J Clin Lab Anal. 6 (6): 359-361, 1992
- Disposable plastic and reusable glass hemacytometers for cell counts
- Bertholf MF, Kao KJ. Lab Med. 22 (12): 864-868, 1991
- Quantitative urine microscopic examination using disposable counting chamber for diagnosis of urinary tract infection (Article in Japanese)
- Hida Y et al. RinshoByori. 43 (12): 1273-1278, Dec 1995
- Evaluation of yellow IIS/model 450 for routine urinalysis (Article in Chinese)
- Huang LY et al. Chung Hua I HsuehTsaChih (Taipei). 53 (6 Suppl B): 23-30, Jun 1994
- Reliability of pyuria detection method
- Saito A, Kawada Y. Infection. 22 (Suppl): S36-37, 1994
- On the performance and reliability of mechanized urine test strip measurement in comparison with visual reading
- Marx AM et al. J ClinChemClinBiochem. 27 (7): 433-443, Jul 1989
- Use of KOVA-Slide II with grid and uncentrifuged segmented urine specimens in the diagnosis of nongonococcal urethritis: a quantitative technique
- Perera SA. Sex Transm Dis. 12 (1): 14-8, Jan-Mar 1985
- Examination of urine sediment using the MD-KOVA system (Article in German)
- Bauer HW. Med Welt. 33 (24): 875-878, Jun 18 1982
- MD-KOVA system for analysis of urine sediments (Article in German)
- Bauer HW. Med Lab (Stuttg). 35 (2): 31-35, 1982
- Test strips for rationalising microscopic tests of urinary sediment (Article in German)
- Kutter D. Dtsch Med Wochenschr. 105 (36): 1246-1249, Sep 5 1980
- Quality control in professional practice in clinical chemistry: a companion text
- Miller WG. ed DR Dufour.Washington, DC: AACC Press, 1999:12-1 to 12-22
- Quality control of test systems waived by the clinical laboratory improvement amendments of 1988. Perceptions and practices
- LaBeau KM, et al. Arch Pathol Lab Med. 2000;124:1122-1127
- User Protocol for Evaluation of Qualitative Test Performance; Approved
- Guideline—Second Edition
- Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI). CLSI document EP12-A2 (ISBN 1-56238-654-9). Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute
- Commutability limitations influence quality control results with different reagent lots
- Miller WG, Erek A, Cunningham TD, et al. – Clin Chem. 2011;57:76-83
Product Documents
Safety Data Sheets
Controls & Stains