collection, spot urine

collection, spot urine

The sampling of a single, untimed urine specimen, voided spontaneously by the patient. The sample is analyzed to determine its protein, creatinine, or electrolyte content. This type of specimen differs from a timed urinary specimen, which represents all the urine a patient produces over a 12- or 24-hr period. Both types of specimen are used in the diagnosis and treatment of renal disease.