1. A urine albumin test detects small amounts of albumin in the urine and is used to screen for early kidney disease in people with diabetes or high blood pressure. 2. Measuring both albumin and creatinine in a random urine sample allows doctors to calculate an albumin/creatinine ratio, which more accurately determines how much albumin is escaping into the urine while accounting for urine concentration. 3. Small amounts of albumin in the urine, called microalbuminuria or albuminuria, can be an early sign of kidney damage occurring several years before significant problems arise.