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Urine melanin
Thormahlen's test; Melanin - urine
Urine melanin is a test to determine the abnormal presence of melanin in the urine.
Melanin
Melanin is a natural substance that gives color (pigment) to: HairSkinThe iris of the eye It is produced by cells in the skin called melanocytes. Mel...
How the Test is Performed
A clean-catch urine sample is needed.
Clean-catch urine sample
A urine culture is a lab test to check for bacteria or other germs in a urine sample. It can be used to check for a urinary tract infection in adults...
How to Prepare for the Test
No special preparation is needed.
How the Test will Feel
The test involves only normal urination.
Why the Test is Performed
This test is used to diagnose melanoma, a type of skin cancer that produces melanin. If the cancer spreads (especially within the liver), the cancer may produce enough of this substance that it shows up in the urine.
Normal Results
Normally, melanin is not present in urine.
Normal value ranges may vary slightly among different laboratories. Some labs use different measurements or test different samples. Talk to your doctor about the meaning of your specific test results.
What Abnormal Results Mean
If melanin is present in the urine, malignant melanoma is suspected.
Melanoma
Melanoma is the most dangerous type of skin cancer. It is the leading cause of death from skin disease. Melanoma can also involve the colored part o...
Risks
There are no risks associated with this test.
Considerations
This test is rarely done anymore to diagnose melanoma because there are better tests available.
References
McPherson RA, Ben-Ezra J, Zhao S. Basic examination of urine. In: McPherson RA, Pincus MR, eds. Henry's Clinical Diagnosis and Management by Laboratory Methods . 22nd ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders; 2011:chap 27.
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Urine sample - illustration
A "clean-catch" urine sample is performed by collecting the sample of urine in midstream. Men or boys should wipe clean the head of the penis. Women or girls need to wash the area between the lips of the vagina with soapy water and rinse well. A small amount of urine should initially fall into the toilet bowl before it is collected (this clears the urethra of contaminants). Then, in a clean container, catch about 1 to 2 ounces of urine and remove the container from the urine stream. The container is then given to the health care provider.
Urine sample
illustration
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Urine sample - illustration
A "clean-catch" urine sample is performed by collecting the sample of urine in midstream. Men or boys should wipe clean the head of the penis. Women or girls need to wash the area between the lips of the vagina with soapy water and rinse well. A small amount of urine should initially fall into the toilet bowl before it is collected (this clears the urethra of contaminants). Then, in a clean container, catch about 1 to 2 ounces of urine and remove the container from the urine stream. The container is then given to the health care provider.
Urine sample
illustration
Review Date: 12/2/2014
Reviewed By: Todd Gersten, MD, Hematology/Oncology, Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute, Wellington, FL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Isla Ogilvie, PhD, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
