<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion>

<documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-05-14</periodOfReport>
<issuer><issuerCik>0000830158</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>LABONE INC/</issuerName>
<issuerTradingSymbol>LABS</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId><rptOwnerCik>0001123639</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>WELSH CARSON ANDERSON &amp; STOWE IX LP</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
<reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>0</isDirector><isOfficer>0</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-05-14</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>X</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>196000</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>1961.02</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>196000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-05-14</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>S</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>15600</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>348348</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>180400</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-05-15</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>S</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>8600</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>187652</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>171800</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Warrants to Purchase Common Stock</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>.01</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-05-14</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>X</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>196102</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2001-08-31</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2008-08-31</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>196102</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>143699</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Pursuant to the net exercise provisions of the Warrants, rather than paying cash for the exercise price of the Warrants, Welsh, Carson, Anderson &amp;amp; Stowe IX, L.P. (&amp;quot;WCAS IX&amp;quot;) used shares of Common Stock that would have otherwise been issuable under the Warrants as payment for the exercise price.  Therefore, the price paid for the shares actually acquired by WCAS IX also includes the exercise price paid for the shares retained by the issuer as payment for the exercise price.  The value of the shares of Common Stock used in accordance with the net exercise provision of the Warrants was $19.31 per share.</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>Jonathan M. Rather, Managing Member</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-05-15</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

