Culture, Urine, Special
Test Code: 3021
CPT Code(s): 87086
Clinical Significance: Any bacterial colony count may be significant.
Includes: If culture is positive, CPT code(s): 87088 will be added with an additional charge. Identification will be performed at an additional charge (CPT code(s): 87077 or 87140 or 87143 or 87147 or 87149). Antibiotic susceptibilities are only performed when appropriate (CPT code(s): 87181 or 87184 or 87185 or 87186).
Methodology: Culture
Alternative Name(s): Urine, Special Culture
Supply: U01 - C&S Gray Tube w/ Straw
Alt. Supply: U02 - 90mL Sterile w/ Green Lid
Preferred Specimen(s): 4 mL urine from In-and-out or straight catheterized specimens, suprapubic aspirates, or cytoscopic specimens collected in a gray-top urine transport tube
Preferred Volume: 4 mL
Minimum volume: Preserved: gray-top transport must be filled to minimum line printed on tube • Unpreserved: 0.5 mL urine
Transport Container: 4 mL vacutainer(tm) gray-top urine transport tube • Sterile Container: Only for specimens less than 4mL from Pediatric specimens or from patients with renal abnormalities (Supply #U02)
Transport Temperature:
Preserved: room temperature or refrigerated (COLD PACKS)
Unpreserved: refrigerated (COLD PACKS) only
Specimen Stability:
Preserved
- Room temperature: 48 hours
- Refrigerated: 48 hours
- Frozen: Unacceptable
Unpreserved
- Room temperature: Unacceptable
- Refrigerated: 24 hours
- Frozen: Unacceptable
Reject Criteria:
- 24-hour urine collections
- foley tips
- specimens from catheter bag
- unpreserved urine > 3 mL
- Uricult devices
- Urinalysis transport tube
- random clean catch, midstream urine collection in gray-top urine transport tube
- swabs
- UriSponge transport filled with urine
For additional supply or collection device information, please contact DLO's Customer Service at (800) 891-2917, option 2.
The CPT codes provided are based on AMA guidelines and are for informational purposes only. CPT coding is the sole responsibility of the billing party. Please direct any questions regarding coding to the payor being billed.