Microscopic exam of urine pt 3 Flashcards
Two types of amorphous crystals
- Amorphous urates: acidic urine
- Amorphous phosphates: alkaline urine
Color of amorphous urates and phosphates
Urates = pink
Phosphates = white
Amorphous urates and phosphates solubility
Urates = heat and alkaline pH
Phosphates = acetic acid
ID the element
Amorphous crystals
Sodium urate
- Normal, appears by refrigeration
- Caused by protein rich diet, typically NOT reported if seen
List normal crystals found in acidic urine
- Uric acid
- Calcium oxalate
- Hippuric acid
List normal crystals found in alkaline urine
- Ammonium biurate
- Calcium carbonate
- Calcium phosphate
- Triple phosphate
- Calcium oxalate possible
- Hippuric acid possible
List abnormal crystals
- Cystine
- Cholesterol
- Tyrosine
- Leucine
- Bilirubin
- Radiographic dye
- Sulfonamide
- Acyclovir
- Ampicillin
Abnormal crystals are typically found in what pH?
Acidic urine
ID the element
Sodium urates
ID the element
Uric acid
lemon
ID the element
Uric acid
rhombus
ID the element
Uric acid
barrels
ID the element
Uric acid
rosettes
Are uric acid crystals birefringent?
Yes
How to distinguish between uric acid and cystine crystals?
- Polarizing microscopy
- Uric acid polarizes light and cystine does not
ID the element
Calcium oxalate
octahedral
dihydrate most common form
ID the element
Calcium oxalate
rectangular
monohydrate
Looks like rice
ID the element
Calcium oxalate
dumbell
monohydrate
ID the element
Calcium oxalate
ovoid
monohydrate
Can calcium oxalate polarize light?
Yes, so can help distinguish from RBCs (don’t polarize light)
Major component of kidney stones
Calcium oxalate
Foods high in oxalic acid
- Asparagus
- Spinach
- Tomatoes
- Rhubarb
- Garlic
- Ascorbic acid
Pathologic conditions involving calcium oxalate
- Kidney stones
- Oxalic acid poisoning
- Liver disease
- Ethylene glycol (anti-freeze) poisoning
Which form of calcium oxalate crystal is most frequently associated with ethylene glycol poisoning?
Long, monohydrate form (can be confused with hippuric acid)
Hippuric acid pH and solubility
- Found in acidic urine, but also neutral or alkaline urine
- Soluble in alkaline and hot water
- Rare crystal
Hippuric acid crystals can be a sign of
Toluene exposure
Hippuric acid crystals associated with
Diets high in fruits/veggies high in benzoic acid
ID element
Hippuric acid (sharp ends)
Ammonium biurate crystals are also known as
“Thorny apples”
Ammonium biurate crystal solubility
Acetic acid and heat
Ammonium biurate crystal clinical significance
- Only significant if seen in freshly voided urine
- Usually artifact of old/improperly stored urine
What happens to ammonium biurate if you add acetic acid?
They convert to uric acid crystals
ID element
Ammonium biurate crystal
ID the element
Ammonium biurate crystals
Calcium carbonate solubility
Effervesces (bubbles) in HCl and acetic acid
Calcium carbonate crystals confused with
RBCs and yeast
ID the element
Calcium carbonate crystals (dumbell)