Casts n' stuff

Question 1

Squamous epithelium: Origin and seen with?

Answer 1

Originate from distal urethra, vagina, or prepuce. Seen with lower urinary tract contamination from voided or catheterized samples.

Question 2

Transitional Epithelium: Seen where

Answer 2

These cells line the urinary bladder and 2/3 proximal urethra. Higher N:C ratio.

Question 3

Caudate Epithelium: Origin and seen with.

Answer 3

Originate from the renal pelvis. Not normally seen in sediment: pyelonephritis and calculi in renal pelvis.

Question 4

Casts

Answer 4

Recorded as number per LPF (10x). Early indicator of renal tubular disease.

Question 5

Hyaline Casts

Answer 5

Tamm-Horsgall mucoprotein precipitates secreted by renal tubular epithelial cells. Low numbers insignificant.

Question 6

Epithelial Casts

Answer 6

May be seen with nephritis/pyelonephritis. Undergo degeneration to produce granular casts.

Question 7

Granular Casts

Answer 7

Seen when epithelial cells start to degenerate. Primarily an indicator of renal tubular damage. Progresses to waxy casts.

Question 8

Fatty Casts

Answer 8

Fatty degeneration of epithelial cells. See round, yellow, refractile droplets within a granular type cast. Often seen in cats. Any animal with hyperlipidemia: diabetes mellitus and nephrotic syndrome.

Question 9

Hemoglobin Casts

Answer 9

Indicates intravascular hemolysis: hemoglobinemia. Hemoglobinuria alone does not cause renal tubular damage.

Question 10

Pseudo-casts

Answer 10

On a voided sample. You won’t see a change in diameter or wound up in a real cast.

Question 11

Lipid droplets

Answer 11

Variably sized, refractile. Produced by the tubular epithelium and are common in cats. Usually no significance.

Question 12

Unstained Bacteria

Answer 12

If obtained from cystocentesis, any bacteria found is abnormal. UTI may be diagnosed- urine culture recommended.

Question 13

Crystals Formed in Acidic Urine

Answer 13

Ammonium urate (Ammonium biurate), Amorphous urates, Bilirubin, Ca Oxalate mono and dihydrate, Cystine, Sulfa, and Uric acid.

Question 14

Crystals Formed in Neutral pH Urine

Answer 14

Ammonium urate, Ca oxalate mono and dihydrate, cystine, and Mg ammonium phosphate.

Question 15

Crystals that Form in Alkaline Urine

Answer 15

Amorphous phosphates, Ca carbonate, and Mg ammonium phosphate.

Question 16

Ca carbonate

Answer 16

Alkaline urine. Normal in animals that excrete Ca in urine: horse, rabbit, guinea pig, elephant.

Question 17

Mg Ammonium Phosphate

Answer 17

Alkaline urine. Secondary to UTI in dogs and sterile cystitis in cats. See a lot in cats because they excrete ammonia via the renal tubules. May form in vitro in refridgeration, stored urine samples, or in those that become alkaline with storage.

Question 18

Amorphous Phosphate

Answer 18

Precipitate in Alkaline urine. Common in normal animals.

Question 19

Amophous Urates

Answer 19

Seen in acidic urine. Predisposed in Dalmations and English Bulldogs. These dogs have defective purine metabolism. Predisposition to urate urolithiasis.

Question 20

Ca Oxalate crystals

Answer 20

See with calciuresis (Cushings) and increase due to storage in room temp and refridgeration. Dihydrate form: Ingestion of oxalate containing plants (Beets, spinach). Monohydrate: see in acute cases of ethylene glycol poisoning,

Question 21

Ammonium Biurate

Answer 21

Smooth aggregates of spheriods (Cats). Uncommon (1-2 per slide) in clinically normal Dalmation and bulldogs. Severe hepatic disease: portovascular malformations and sago palm toxicity.

Question 22

Bilirubin Crystals

Answer 22

Common in low numbers in high concentrated urine samples from males. Always significant in cats (they have a high renal threshold). Disorder in bilirubin metabolism: Liver disease or extravascular hemolysis.

Question 23

Cystine crystals

Answer 23

Always abnormal- look for urolith. Inherited defect in proximal tubules’ reabsorbing cystine. Predisposition: males, dachsunds, bulldogs, etc.

Question 24

Sulfa crystals

Answer 24

Seen in patients administered with sulfa-contained drugs.

Question 25

Bladder Neoplasia

Answer 25

Difficult to diagnose with urine sediment alone. Atypical transitional epithelium and lack of inflammation.

Question 26

Transitional Cell Carcinoma

Answer 26

90% of bladder tumors. Uncommon in cats. Atypical transitional cells: absence of inflammation.