Urinalysis with Culture Reflex

Tube Type = Urine Tube Gray Top or Urine Tube Yellow Type

Specimen Type
(Needs BOTH tubes)

Test ID LAB5187
EPIC Order URINALYSIS with Micro and Cult Reflex
CPT Code(s) 81001, 87086 (UA, urine culture)
Group/Individual Test Group
Laboratory Core Laboratory/Clinical Microbiology
Tube Station Gray Top Tube (Culture) to 82
Urine Yellow tube (Urinalysis) to 30 (routine), 888 (STAT)
Specimen Routine:

Minimum volume:

  • Gray Tube: 3mL
  • Urine Yellow Tube (UA No additive/Preservative) or sterile container, unspun: 10 mL

NOTE: if Minimum volume cannot be obtained for each tube, send specimen in original collection cup.
Stability
Room temperature: Gray Top - Yes
Refrigerator: DO NOT Refrigerate Gray Top
Urine Yellow Tubes stable 8 hours refrigerated, 2 hours room temperature
2-8°C Refrigerate original collection cup stable <8 hours.
Frozen: Do Not Freeze
Transport Deliver urine to lab within 1 hour of collection
Availability Routine: 24 hrs/day
STAT: YES
Turnaround Time STAT 1 hour, Routine 2 hours
Reference Range Normal: See Urinalysis (General and Microscopic) webpage for urinalysis reference ranges.
Comments
Criteria for Reflex:
  • Leukocyte esterase: Any Positive (Trace, Small, Moderate, Large)
  • Nitrite: Positive
  • WBC:≥ 10 wbc/hpf
  • Additional Criteria for Reflex:
    • Patient has positive pregnancy test
    • Patient has an ANC (absolute neutrophil count) less than 500 in the last 7 days
    • Patient age is < 3 months old
  • This test is only suggested for patients in the ED, and only those meeting certain criteria. Patients that shuld be excluded include:
    • Patients who are < 5 years old
    • Pregnant women
    • Patients currently on antibiotics
    • Patients who are neutropenic
    • Patients who are catheterized 
  • It is the physician's responsibility to determine if these exclusion criteria apply to the patient. 

Reviewed by J. Carr on January 15, 2026

UNC Hospitals
McLendon Clinical Laboratories
101 Manning Drive
Chapel Hill, NC 27514