Targeted, focused testing — Without the Culture Wait
Fast. Focused. Actionable.
Urine culture makes your patient wait two to four days for an answer you need sooner. In the meantime, they start an empiric antibiotic that may or may not be treating the organism they actually have. It is targeted, focused testing for suspected UTIs. It is PCR UTI testing for suspected, routine UTIs — detecting the pathogens responsible for the overwhelming majority of urinary tract infections, plus the antibiotic resistance that determines whether your first-line choice will work. Get your results in 48 hours or less. No growth required. No guessing.
Key Benefits:
Results typically in 24-48 hours or less from receipt — not the two to four days a culture takes
Detects the organisms behind the vast majority of routine UTIs
Identifies antibiotic resistance to guide therapy selection
Finds polymicrobial infections that culture routinely reports as a single organism
Returns a result even when culture would report "no growth"
Why Culture Keeps You Waiting
The Diagnostic Gap Between Symptom and Treatment
Traditional urine culture works by growing organisms on a plate. That takes time — typically two to four days before you have an organism and a sensitivity profile. Your patient does not have two to four days. They have symptoms now, so they leave with an empiric prescription now, and you find out later whether it was the right one.
Culture also has blind spots. Fastidious and slow-growing organisms simply do not grow, and the report comes back "no growth" even though the patient is clearly infected. Prior antibiotic exposure suppresses growth and produces the same false reassurance. And when more than one organism is present — which is far more common than culture would suggest — culture tends to report the dominant colonizer and miss the rest.
PCR does not wait for anything to grow. It amplifies pathogen DNA directly from the specimen, identifying the organism and its resistance markers whether or not it would ever have formed a colony. The result is a faster answer and, frequently, a more complete one.
Why PCR for UTI:
Speed that changes management. Results typically in 48 hours or less, so targeted therapy starts before the patient's second call.
Detection that does not depend on growth. Fastidious, slow-growing, and antibiotic-suppressed organisms are still detected.
Polymicrobial visibility. PCR identifies every organism in the specimen. Culture, by design, cannot.
Resistance genes, not just a bug name. Molecular resistance markers point you toward an antibiotic that will actually work.
UTI Express™ vs. Culture & Sensitivity
Beyond Culture: A Faster, More Complete Picture
UTI Express™ (PCR)
- Results in 48 hours or less expedite the treatment decision
- Detects polymicrobial infections from a single specimen
- Resistance gene detection informs antibiotic selection
- Delivers a result even when organisms will not culture
- Enhanced accuracy minimizes false negatives
- Promotes antibiotic stewardship
Culture & Sensitivity
- Two-to-four-day turnaround postpones treatment
- Polymicrobial infections often reported as a single organism or dismissed as contamination
- Sensitivity panel arrives days after the prescription was written
- Elusive and slow-growing pathogens result as "no growth"
- Higher potential for false negatives
- Slow resulting drives empiric broad-spectrum prescribing
The UTI Express™ Test
Focused Coverage — When That's All That's Needed
UTI Express™ detects up to 8 pathogens responsible for the large majority of urinary tract infections, along with antibiotic resistance to guide therapy selection. Every report includes microbial load (high / medium / low) for each detected organism and an antibiotic susceptibility summary with recommended treatment options.
- Specimen Type: Clean catch urine
- Turnaround Time: Typically 48 hours or less from receipt of sample
Who Should Order UTI Express™
Built for the Straightforward Case — Which Is Most of Them to Who Should Order UTI Express™
Urology Practices. UTI Express™ turns a multi-day diagnostic process into a decision you can act on quickly.
Primary Care. UTI is one of the most common reasons patients walk in. Molecular testing gives you a targeted answer without the culture wait.
OB/GYN and Women's Health. UTI is common in women's health settings, and recurrent infection is a frequent complaint. Accurate identification shortens the path to relief.
Any practice tired of culture delays. If you are frustrated watching patients wait through a weekend for a plate to grow, there is a better way.
When to reach for UTI Max instead: If the patient has recurrent infections, a complicated presentation, a catheter, or a history of treatment failure, order UTI Max — the comprehensive test with expanded pathogen and resistance coverage.
WHICH UTI TEST SHOULD I ORDER?
| UTI Max | UTI Express™ | |
| Best for | Recurrent, complicated, treatment-failure UTI | Uncomplicated suspected UTI |
| Pathogen coverage | Comprehensive, including atypical organisms | Core UTI organisms |
| Resistance detection | Expanded, incl. ESBL and carbapenemase | Key resistance markers |
| Polymicrobial detection | Yes — expanded | Yes |
| Turnaround | Typically 24-48 hrs | Typically 24-48 hrs |
| Specimen | Clean catch urine | Clean catch urine |
Our Advanced Diagnostics Testing
The SoftCell Standard, Every Test, Every Time
At SoftCell, every test we run is backed by advanced, precision-engineered instrumentation, rigorously validated protocols, and a team that refuses to cut corners. Our experienced, expert team holds every result to strict quality assurance standards — because "close enough" isn't in our vocabulary. As a CLIA-certified reference laboratory powered by Doc Lab — the same team behind the science and development of our core reagents — we offer something most labs can't: tighter quality control, faster problem resolution, and technical support from the people who built the test.
Ordering Information
Effortless Access to Advanced Diagnostics
Ordering is simple, and results are delivered how you prefer: secure web portal, fax, or EMR integration. New accounts are set up fast, complete with kits, requisitions, and portal access. For any questions or assistance, our dedicated client services team is here to help. Contact us at info@SoftCellLabs.com or (503) 402-2505.
Experience the SoftCell Difference
Where Innovation Meets Clinical Excellence
Trust SoftCell for your reference laboratory needs and unlock the power of precise, personalized medicine. Our advanced testing can make a significant difference in your practice through improved patient outcomes and more efficient treatment plans. Work with a lab partner that actually answers the phone.