24-hour urinalysis

How does it work?

If you need to collect urine for a 24-hour examination, you must collect that urine in specially designated containers. You can pick up these containers, upon presentation of your request form, at the clinical laboratory counter. The instructions for collecting urine are described on these containers and will be clarified to you when you pick them up. Return of the filled containers is also done at the counter of the laboratory.

Guidelines

There are some guidelines when collecting your urine for 24 hours that you must follow carefully:

• You can pick up the containers for 24-hour urine collection in the clinical laboratory. There is a label on these with instructions and space for sample identification. This also indicates whether or not the sample is acidified with sulfuric acid or thymol.
  • If the collection container is acidified, you will also be given a non-acidified (empty) container to avoid burns. After each collection of urine, you should then carefully pour it into the acidified collection container immediately after urinating. If the acid comes into contact with the eyes or skin, rinse immediately and copiously with water and seek expert medical advice.
• On the first morning empty your bladder completely into the toilet and therefore not into the collection container. Be sure to note the start date and time on the label.
• From then on, you store the collection container in a cool, dark and clean place, preferably in the refrigerator (2-8°C).
• You collect all further urine in the collection container for the next 24 hours (day and night).
• The next morning you do need to add the first morning urine to the container.
• This is the last urine you collect in the container. Note the end time on the label and mix the total amount of urine well.
• Make sure the container is properly closed and that the label is completely and correctly filled in (name, date of birth, collection date, start and end hours).
• After finishing, take this to the laboratory as soon as possible. Keep the sample in the refrigerator (2-8°C) until you can come to the laboratory.

What if something goes wrong?

• If urine is lost, you must start collecting it again at a new time in an unused, empty collection container.
• If more urine is produced in 24 hours than will fit in one container, you must collect it in another container.