Urinalysis and Body Fluids

These flashcards cover key vocabulary related to urinalysis, including methods, standards, and components of urine analysis.

Insoluble substances

Substances that do not dissolve in urine, such as red blood cells, white blood cells, casts, and crystals.

Macroscopic Screening

Initial assessment of urine based on physical characteristics like color, clarity, and presence of blood or protein.

Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI)

An organization that sets laboratory standards and protocols for testing.

Sediment Standardization

The process of preparing and examining sediment in urine for analysis.

Hematuria

The presence of red blood cells in urine, indicating potential pathology.

Leukocyte esterase

An enzyme associated with white blood cells, often tested to indicate infection.

Centrifugation

A process to separate components of a mixture by spinning at high speed.

Relative Centrifugal Force (RCF)

A measure of the force applied during centrifugation, which takes into account the radius of the centrifuge head.

Specimen Preparation

Process involving proper collection and handling of urine samples for accurate analysis.

Specimen Volume

The amount of urine collected for testing, important for ensuring sufficient analysis of formed elements.