The RBC urine test measures the number of red cells in a given volume of urine.

Collect a "clean-catch" (midstream) urine sample. To obtain a clean-catch sample, men or boys should clean the head of the penis. Women or girls need to wash the area between the lips of the vagina with soapy water and rinse well. As you start to urinate, allow a small amount to fall into the toilet bowl to clear the urethra of contaminants. Then, put a clean container under your urine stream and catch 1 to 2 ounces of urine. Remove the container from the urine stream. Cap and mark the container and give it to the health care provider or assistant.

For an infant:

Thoroughly wash the area around the urethra. Open a urine collection bag (a plastic bag with an adhesive paper on one end), and place it on the infant. For boys, the entire penis can be placed in the bag and the adhesive attached to the skin. For girls, the bag is placed over the labia. Diaper as usual over the secured bag.

This procedure may take a couple of attempts. The infant should be checked frequently and the bag changed after the infant has urinated into the bag. The urine is drained into the container for transport to the laboratory.

No special preparation is necessary for this test, but if the collection is being taken from an infant, a couple of extra collection bags may be necessary.

The test involves only normal urination, and there is no discomfort.

Normal values are 4 RBC/HPF or less. Normal value ranges may vary slightly among different laboratories.

Note: RBC/HPF = red blood cells per high power field (a microscopic exam).

Abnormal results indicating greater-than-normal numbers of red blood cells in the urine may indicate:

• Glomerulonephritis
• Interstitial nephritis
• Acute tubular necrosis
• Pyelonephritis
• Renal trauma
• Renal tumor
• Renal stones
• Cystitis
• Prostatitis

• Alport syndrome
• Complicated UTI (pyelonephritis)
• Membranoproliferative GN II
• Renal vein thrombosis

There are no risks.