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Saturday, November 10, 2012

Urinary sediment: Microscopic examination


Microscopic examination of urine sediment after centrifugation shows:

  • Normal:         few cells
  • Red cell cast:         hematuria due to glomerular disease
  • White cell cast: E.g. during pyelonephritis
  • Bacteriuria: UTI, pyelonephritis

Crystals (in acidic urine):

  1. Calcium oxalate – star like or envelope like or dumbell shaped
  2. Uric acid crystals - yellow to red brown crystals shapes like rosettes, prisms, or rhomboids.
  3. Cholesterol crystals - clear, flat, rectangular plates with notched corners – E.g. in nephrotic syndrome and chyluria.
  4. Cysteine crystals appear colorless refractile hexagons.
  5. Crystals (in alkaline urine) - Amorphous phosphate - fine, colorless mass like sand
  6. Calcium carbonate crystals - colorless dumbbells or spheres
  7. Triple phosphate crystals - colorless prism of 3-6 sides, resembling coffin lids.




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