Haemosiderin (urinary)
Haemoglobinuria and haemoglobinaemia occur when haemoglobin is released into the plasma in greater amounts than can be bound to haptoglobins. Haemoglobin bound to haptoglobin is unable to cross the glomerular membrane, but free haemoglobin is sufficiently small to be excreted in the urine. In acute intravascular haemolysis, haemoglobin appears in the urine more or less intact. In chronic haemoglobinuria, some of the pigment is taken up by the kidney and degraded and haemosiderin granules are passed into the urine. The presence of haemosiderin in the urine indicates the recent or chronic release of free haemoglobin into the circulating plasma, and the depletion of haemopexin and haptoglobin.
Haemosiderin is usually attributable to intravascular haemolysis, but may originate from conditions such as haemorrhagic pancreatitis, in which breakdown of blood cells occurs in the peritoneal cavity.
Urinary haemosiderin may aid diagnosis of haemolytic anaemia associated with intravascular haemolysis, eg. haemolytic transfusion reactions, cold haemagglutinin disease, paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria (PNH), thalassaemia major, sickle cell disease, trauma due to replacement mechanical heart valves, and drug-induced oxidative stress (with/without G6PD/ PK deficiency)
Diagnosis and assessment of iron overload conditions eg. post-transfusion, hereditary haemochromatosis, etc.
Record last updated
August 20, 2025
Sample Container
150ml Universal Container for Urine TB (Silver top)
Search test database
Test Results
Yes, we have a Pathology User Guide
Yes. Please email your request to Imperial.nwlpcustomerservice@nhs.net
Results are communicated to clinical staff and are normally not communicated direct to patients either on telephone requests or in written report. If you need to contact us please click here to view the contact details page
Please contact the Customer Service Team Monday to Friday from 8:30am – 6:00pm on 0203 313 5353. Alternatively, see the Pathology User Guide for how to contact the relevant department. If advice is not urgent you can also email your query to Imperial.nwlpcustomerservice@nhs.net
Additional tests may be added by discussion with the relevant laboratory. The time limit for adding additional tests to a sample already received in the laboratory will depend on the type of sample and the department it was sent to.
Information on the repertoire of tests performed by pathology, including reference ranges, turnaround times and specimen requirements, can be found in the test directory.
Phlebotomy services are not managed by NWLP. For further information please see:
Imperial College Healthcare Trust Phlebotomy services
Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust Phlebotomy services
NWLP operates UKAS accredited medical laboratories as per the references below. The current scope of accreditation for all NWLP’s laboratories can be found on the UKAS website.
UKAS accredited medical laboratory/medical diagnostic service:
- Clinical Biochemistry No. 8673
- Haematology and Blood Transfusion No. 8674
- Infection & Immunity Sciences (Including Immunology, Virology, Microbiology and Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics ) No. 8659
- Cellular Pathology (Including Histopathology, Cytology and Molecular Pathology) No. 9615
If you require copies of our certificate of accreditation and associated documentation please contact Imperial.nwlpcustomerservice@nhs.net.
UKAS requires the laboratories to be accredited for a particular repertoire/scope (ISO15189), any changes or additions to repertoire require assessment by UKAS (extension to scope).
The BD Hospital Tube Guide, BD GP Tube Guide and BD Paediatric Tube Guide provide visual references to the correct tube types and collection instructions.
Home testing
INSTRUCTION SHEET FOR BLOOD SAMPLE COLLECTION
We also have two instruction videos available (one with subtitles and one without) – please click on the links to view the videos on Google.
Our accreditations
Upholding excellence in diagnostic standards
Our laboratories are accredited by the UK Accreditation Service (UKAS) against the international standard ISO15189:2022. UKAS is the accreditation body for the UK that assesses medical laboratories.
Find out more about our accreditations on the UKAS website.
UKAS website