Culture, Urine

Culture, Urine

Alternate Test Name

Urine Culture

Mnemonic

LAB239
URNC

Category

Microbiology

Result Availabilty

1-2 days

Container

Urine C&S (boric acid) preservative transport tube

Volume

Preferred Vol: 4 mL Urine
Minimum Vol: 3 mL Urine
If specimen is less than 3.0 mL, use sterile non-preservative urine tube or screw cap cup.

Collection Instructions

Early A.M. urine specimens, yielding the highest bacterial counts from overnight incubation in bladder, are preferred for culture

Infants and Small Children:
• Use pediatric/newborn urine specimen collection bags with hypo-allergenic skin adhesive

Adult Clean Catch Urine Collection Instructions
• Collect clean catch urine in sterile screw capped cup following instructions on .pdf document.

Preservative Tube Innoculation:
• Peel back protective sticker on cap of screw capped tube.
• Push C&S Preservative tube (gray top) into the integrated transfer port.
• Hold in position until urine flow stops and tube is filled to maximum level.
• Remove tube.
• Shake tube vigorously.
• Label tube with patient name, date of birth, and date/time of collection.

CLEAN CATCH URINE COLLECTION INSTRUCTIONS
ALTERNATE URINE COLLECTION INSTRUCTIONS
Culture Collection Guide

Transportation Instructions

Preservative boric acid transport tube
• Transport at room temperature; specimen is stable for 48 hours.

Unpreserved urine specimen
• Refrigerate within 2 hours of collection; specimen is stable for 24 hours refrigerated.
• Transport to laboratory as soon as possible

Causes for Rejection

• Boric acid transport tube received more than 48 hours after collection
• Unpreserved urine specimen not refrigerated within 2 hours of collection
• Unpreserved urine specimen refrigerated within 2 hours but received more than 24 hours after collection

Remarks

Includes:
• Colony Count

Patient Preparation:
• Culture should be done before starting antibiotic therapy
• Do not force fluids to void urine.  Excessive fluid intake will dilute urine and may decrease colony count below 10⁵ CFU/mL

Medicare Medical Necessity Policy

CPT Codes

87088

Effective/Revised

9/15/2017