Usefulness of macroscopic urinalysis as a screening procedure. A preliminary report.

The macroscopic examination (physicochemical testing) is a sufficient laboratory screening procedure for routine urinalyses when accurately assessed. Only in those patients for whom routine urine specimens are macroscopically positive or in symptomatic patients with or without known renal or urinary-tract disease should a microscopic examination be necessary. Results of this study of more than 900 consecutive routinely screened urine specimens indicate that there is less than a 3% diagnostic yield when the urine sediment is examined after a negative macroscopic examination.