We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Procedures

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What is Urine Cytology?

Mary McMahon
By
Updated: Mar 03, 2024
Views: 26,700
Share

Urine cytology is a microscopic examination of cells found in the urine. It is a diagnostic test that may be ordered if a doctor suspects that a patient has a cancerous growth in the urinary tract or if a patient appears to have a urinary inflammation or infection. The test is painless for patients and it is a very cost effective tool for diagnosis and follow up on medical treatments. Many labs have the capacity to handle urine cytology tests and can ship samples if their technicians are not able to examine them.

When people urinate, epithelial cells from inside the urinary tract are shed in the urine. In healthy individuals, there will be relatively few cells and they should all have a normal appearance. In people with urinary tract diseases, more cells will be present and some of the cells may have abnormalities. By examining the cells found in a urine sample, a lab technician can identify signs of disease.

Samples for urine cytology are usually collected by asking the patient for a clean catch sample, where the patient cleans the genitals, starts urinating to clear the urethra of any contaminants, and then finishes urinating in a sterile container. In some cases, a catheter may be used to collect urine if a sample cannot be collected by other means. It is important to avoid using the first urination of the day for urine cytology because it contains cells that have been carried overnight in the bladder and these cells may be degraded, leading to a false positive.

Urine cytology can be requested if a patient has bloody urine or other symptoms of infection or neoplasm, such as difficulty urinating, painful urination, strong smelling urine, discolored urine, and frequent urges to urinate. A doctor can also use this diagnostic test as a follow up for a patient who has received treatment for a urinary tract condition. If the treatment was successful, the urine cytology results should be clear, showing no abnormal cells in the urine.

The precision of this test varies. A lab technician can identify cellular changes but may not be able to determine what is causing the changes. If the cells are cancerous, additional testing will be needed to pinpoint the site of the cancer and stage it. If the urine shows signs of inflammation or infection, testing can be used to find the root cause so that it can be treated. Positive urine cytology results are usually verified with additional testing before treatment recommendations are made.

Share
The Health Board is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
Mary McMahon
By Mary McMahon

Ever since she began contributing to the site several years ago, Mary has embraced the exciting challenge of being a The Health Board researcher and writer. Mary has a liberal arts degree from Goddard College and spends her free time reading, cooking, and exploring the great outdoors.

Discussion Comments
By anon1006273 — On Feb 22, 2022

When you're collecting urine to do the Urine Cytology test, is it OK to drink coffee, tea and have a meal in those 3 hours of drinking water?

By anon216743 — On Sep 22, 2011

I have had bladder cancer and now have an ileal conduit and use a night drainage bag. How is it possible to do this test right, just wondering. --Barbara

By Anna10 — On May 13, 2011

@hannah77- The nurse or lab tech should have told you! The reason it’s important is because the first part of the urine flow has been sitting in the urethra (tube that carries urine out of the body) and might have bacteria or other contaminants in it.

Your tests could show abnormal urine cytology because you didn't collect correctly. It might not be a bad idea to give the lab another sample.

By Hannah77 — On May 12, 2011

I had a urine culture done a few weeks ago but now I don’t think I collected the sample the right way. Everything I had, from first drop to last, went into the cup. I didn’t know I was supposed to only collect the last part. No one told me that. Does anyone know if it makes that much of a difference? Now I’m worried I ruined the test.

By croydon — On May 11, 2011

When I was a volunteer overseas they made us do this test every six months as part of our medical checkups.

Although it was difficult at first, we all got used to drinking a bunch of tea or coffee beforehand, as that will really make you need to go.

Remember to take a little paper bag or something similar into the toilet with you as well. Our lab had the waiting room positioned between the doctor's office and the toilets, so if you didn't have a discrete bag to drop the sample into, all the waiting patients would get an eyeful.

I almost preferred the blood tests.

Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon

Ever since she began contributing to the site several years ago, Mary has embraced the exciting challenge of being a...

Learn more
Share
https://www.thehealthboard.com/what-is-urine-cytology.htm
Copy this link
The Health Board, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

The Health Board, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.