Bilirubin in urine
Explanation
Urine bilirubin testing checks whether bilirubin, a yellow substance formed when red blood cells break down, is present in urine. It is not normally detected. This test is often part of urinalysis, a set of tests on a urine sample.
How is this different from a blood bilirubin test?
The form that can pass into urine is bilirubin the liver has processed so it dissolves in water. It is called conjugated bilirubin. Blood tests can measure this and other forms, so blood and urine results are not interchangeable.
Does the result identify a liver problem?
A positive urine result can point to a problem in the liver or bile ducts, the tubes that carry bile away from the liver. It does not identify the cause or show how severe a problem is. A clinician considers blood tests, symptoms and other findings.
A negative result cannot rule out every liver problem. The urine test does not detect every form of bilirubin, and factors such as prolonged sample storage can affect its accuracy.
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