Last updated: 11/24/2009

Normal urine is a clear straw-colored liquid, but may also be slightly hazy. It has a slight odor, and some laboratories will note strong or atypical odors on the urinalysis report. A normal urine specimen may contain some normal crystals as well as...

squamous or transitional epithelial cells from the bladder, lower urinary tract, or vagina. Urine may contain transparent (hyaline) casts, especially if it was collected after vigorous exercise. The presence of hyaline casts may be a sign of kidney disease, however, when the cause cannot be attributed to exercise, running, or medications. Normal urine contains a small amount of urobilinogen, and may contain a few RBCs and WBCs. Normal urine does not contain detectable amounts of glucose or other sugars, protein, ketones, bilirubin, bacteria, yeast cells, or trichomonads. Normal values used in many laboratories are given below:

• Glucose: negative (quantitative less than 130 mg/day or 30 mg/dL).
• Bilirubin: negative (quantitative less than 0.02 mg/dL).
• Ketones: negative (quantitative 0.5–3.0 mg/dL).
• pH: 5.0–8.0.
• Protein: negative (quantitative 15–150 mg/day, less than 10 mg/dL).
• Blood: negative.
• Nitrite: negative.
• Specific gravity: 1.015–1.025.
• Urobilinogen: 0–2 Ehrlich units (quantitative 0.3–1.0 Ehrlich units).
• Leukocyte esterase: negative.
• Red blood cells: 0–2 per high power field.
• White blood cells: 0–5 per high power field (0–10 per high power field for some standardized systems).