Chemical Analysis of Urine: Chapter 7 (copy)

pH Dependence

Abnormal/pathological crystals can form at varying pH levels, specifically below 7 for acidic pH.

Amorphous Urates

Crystals that are generally formed in acidic urine.

Uric Acid

Crystals that may present in diseases such as gout and are birefringent under polarized light.

Calcium Oxalate

A common cause of kidney stones.

Sodium Urate

Rhomboid crystals associated with gout.

Cystine

Hexagonal crystals that do not polarize, used to distinguish from uric acid.

Cholesterol

Flat, notched plates that form crystals.

Tyrosine

Crystals that appear with liver disorders, characterized by fine, delicate needles or sheaves.

Leucine

Crystals associated with liver disorders, exhibiting yellow-brown concentric circles.

Bilirubin

Crystals that appear with liver issues, particularly biliary obstruction, noted for their yellow to orange color.

Amorphous Phosphates

Appear as a white precipitate; can be verified by heating to dissolve urates.

Ammonium Biurate

Crystals characterized by yellow-brown spheroids with long, spiky protrusions.

Sulfonamide

Drug crystals with variable physical description; may indicate drug-related pathological conditions.

Ampicillin

Drug crystals with variable physical description; correlates with urinary abnormalities.

Radiographic Dye

May be mistaken for pathological crystals; requires chemistry tests for differentiation.

Acidic pH Crystals

Crystals formed in urine with a pH typically below 7.

Cholesterol Crystals

Crystals noted for having flat, notched plates.

Gout

A condition in which uric acid crystals form, leading to joint pain.

Birefringent Crystals

Crystals that show different colors when viewed under polarized light.

Kidney Stones

Solid masses formed from crystals that can cause pain and obstruction.

Hexagonal Crystals

Cystine crystals that do not polarize, aiding in their identification.

Yellow-Brown Crystals

Characteristic of ammonium biurate and leucine.

Fine Needles

Physical characteristic of tyrosine crystals.

White Precipitate

Common appearance of amorphous phosphates in urine.

Drug-Related Crystals

Crystals that may indicate the presence of certain medications in urine.

Liver Disorders

Conditions associated with the presence of tyrosine, leucine, and bilirubin crystals.

Biliary Obstruction

A condition that can lead to the formation of bilirubin crystals.

Urate Crystals

Crystals formed from uric acid, commonly associated with gout.

Crystal Identification

Process of determining the type of crystal present in urine based on physical characteristics.

Urine Analysis

Testing of urine to identify crystals and other abnormalities.

Pathological Crystals

Abnormal crystals that may indicate disease or disorder.

Alkaline Crystals

Crystals that form in urine with a higher pH.