Physical Examination of Urine

Question 1

Colorless urine

Answer 1

Random sample or diabetes mellitus/insipidus w/ increased urine production

Question 2

Dark yellow urine

Answer 2

Concentrated specimen (1st morning), dehydration (fever, burns), high specific gravity

Question 3

Intense yellow/orange/amber urine

Answer 3

Pyridium (medication for UTIs), bilirubin (liver problems, yellow foam forms when bilirubin present)

Question 4

Red/pink urine

Answer 4

Blood, hemoglobin, myoglobin, prophyrins

Question 5

Green/blue urine

Answer 5

Medications/dyes, Pseudomonas species infections

Question 6

Brown/black urine

Answer 6

Denatures hemoglobin, melanin, or homogentisic acid

Question 7

Specific gravity

Answer 7

Determines kidney’s ability to reabsorb essential chemicals/water from filtrate, density of substance compared to density of same volume of DI water
Normal = 1.003 - 1.035

Question 8

Isosthenuric urine

Answer 8

Specific gravity = 1.010 (loss of concentrating and diluting ability)

Question 9

Hyposthenuric urine

Answer 9

Specific gravity less than 1.010

Less concentrated

Question 10

Hypersthenuric urine

Answer 10

Specific gravity greater than 1.010

More concentrated