Urinalysis, Macroscopic Test
Urinalysis, Macroscopic measures a set of chemical constituents in a urine sample using reagent-impregnated strips. It is a screening tool clinicians use alongside other findings, not a test that identifies a specific condition on its own.
About this test
This test, sometimes called a dipstick urinalysis or UA Macro, analyzes a urine sample with reagent-impregnated strips or tablets. The strips report a set of chemical characteristics of the urine, including appearance, color, pH, specific gravity, and the presence of substances such as glucose, ketones, protein, bilirubin, occult blood, nitrite, and leukocyte esterase.
Because the test reports several chemical constituents rather than a single marker, the results are read together. Quest describes this panel as used to assess urine chemical constituents and their relationship to a range of conditions, so a clinician weighs the pattern of results alongside a person's symptoms and history rather than any one finding alone.
Test details
| Quest code | 6448 |
|---|---|
| Methodology | Reagent Impregnated Strips/Tablets |
| Sample type | 10 mL urine - Urinalysis transport tube |
| Collection | Quest patient service center |
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Quest resources
Additional details
What this test looks at
The panel reports appearance, color, pH, specific gravity, and the presence of glucose, ketones, protein, bilirubin, occult blood, nitrite, and leukocyte esterase in a urine sample. This is a different product from Urinalysis, Microscopic, which examines the sample under a microscope for cells and other formed elements rather than its chemical constituents.
Order online and a physician order is included — no doctor's visit and no insurance needed. Your sample is collected at a Quest Diagnostics patient service center.
Laboratory results should always be interpreted by a licensed clinician who knows your health history. This page is information about a test, not medical advice.
Frequently asked questions
What does a macroscopic urinalysis measure?
It measures a set of chemical constituents in urine, including appearance, color, pH, specific gravity, glucose, ketones, protein, bilirubin, occult blood, nitrite, and leukocyte esterase, using reagent-impregnated strips.
How is the sample collected?
The test uses a 10 mL urine sample collected in a urinalysis transport tube.
Do I need to prepare for a macroscopic urinalysis?
No preparation instructions are listed for this test, though people follow any instructions their ordering clinician provides.
Is this the same as the microscopic urinalysis?
No. This test looks at chemical constituents using reagent strips. Urinalysis, Microscopic is a separate test that examines the sample under a microscope for cells and other formed elements.
Can this test tell me the cause of an abnormal finding?
No. It reports a set of chemical constituents that a clinician reads together with symptoms, history, and any other tests ordered alongside it.
How much does the Urinalysis Macroscopic test cost?
The cash price at Celio Health is $15. That covers the physician's order and sample collection at a Quest patient service center — no insurance is needed and there's no separate doctor's visit to pay for.