3. Crystals
- Page ID
- 70192
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)- 3.1 Crystals
- 3.1.A Amorphous
- 3.1.B Calcium Oxalate
- 3.1.C Hippuric Acid
- 3.1.D Sodium Urate
- 3.1.E Uric Acid
- 3.1.F Ammonium Biurate
- 3.1.G Calcium Carbonate
- 3.1.H Calcium Phosphate
- 3.1.I Triple Phosphate
- 3.1.J Bilirubin
- 3.1.K Cystine
- 3.1.L Cholesterol
- 3.1.M Leucine
- 3.1.N Tyrosine
- 3.1.O Sulfonamide
- 3.1.P Radiographic Dye
- 3.1.Q Ampicillin
3.1 Crystals
Crystals are the product of precipitation of solutes in urine. There are multiple variables that contribute to crystallization of solutes in urine including decreased temperature, solute concentration, and pH. The purpose of identification is to detect abnormal urinary crystals that are clinically significant and are associated with disease.
Crystal |
pH |
Morphology & Color |
Normal or Abnormal Disease Association |
Amorphous Urates |
Acidic |
•Non-crystalline, no defined size or shape •Colorless, Yellow, Pink, Brown |
Normal |
Calcium Oxalate |
Acidic to slightly Alkaline |
•Octahedral (envelope), ovoid, rectangular, dumbbell •Colorless •Birefringent |
Normal |
Hippuric Acid |
Acidic |
•Six sided prisms, needles, rhombic plates •Colorless |
Normal |
Sodium Urate |
Acidic |
•Thin rectangular sticks •Colorless or Yellow |
Normal |
Uric Acid |
Acidic |
•Barrel, rhombic, rosettes, 6-sided •Colorless, Yellow, Brown •Birefringent |
Normal |
Amorphous Phosphates |
Alkaline |
•Non-crystalline, no defined size or shape •Colorless, Yellow, White |
Normal |
Ammonium Biurate |
Alkaline |
•Round, “Thorny Apple”, •Yellow, Brown |
Normal |
Calcium Carbonate |
Alkaline |
•Dumbbell, round •Colorless |
Normal |
Calcium Phosphate |
Alkaline |
•Wedge, flat plates, rosettes •Colorless |
Normal |
Triple Phosphate |
Alkaline |
•Prism shaped, “Coffin lid”, triangle •Colorless •Birefringent |
Normal |
Bilirubin |
Acidic |
•Needles or round with needle projections (needles often stick to WBC) •Yellow, Orange |
Abnormal Liver disease |
Cystine |
Acidic |
•Hexagonal plates •Colorless |
Abnormal Cystinuria |
Cholesterol |
Acidic |
•Flat plates with notched corners •Colorless •Birefringent |
Abnormal Nephrotic syndrome |
Leucine |
Acidic |
•Round with concentric rings, radial striations on outer edge •Yellow, Brown |
Abnormal Liver disease |
Tyrosine |
Acidic |
•Fine needles •Colorless, Yellow |
Abnormal Liver disease |
Sulfonamide |
Acidic |
•Needles, “wheat stacks”, sheaves, spheroids •Colorless, Yellow, Light Brown |
Abnormal Medication |
Radiographic dye |
Acidic |
•Flat needles or sheaves •Colorless |
Abnormal Radiographic procedure |
3.1.A Amorphous
Amorphous \(\PageIndex{1}\)
3.1.B Calcium Oxalate
Calcium Oxalate \(\PageIndex{1}\)
Calcium Oxalate \(\PageIndex{2}\)
Calcium Oxalate \(\PageIndex{3}\)
Calcium Oxalate \(\PageIndex{4}\)
3.1.C Hippuric Acid
Hippuric acid \(\PageIndex{1}\)
3.1.D Sodium Urate
Sodium Urate \(\PageIndex{1}\)
3.1.E Uric Acid
Uric Acid \(\PageIndex{1}\)
Uric Acid 10x\(\PageIndex{2}\)
Uric Acid 40x\(\PageIndex{3}\)
Uric Acid \(\PageIndex{4}\)
3.1.F Ammonium Biurate
Ammonium Biurate\(\PageIndex{1}\)
3.1.G Calcium Carbonate
Calcium Carbonate \(\PageIndex{1}\)
3.1.H Calcium Phosphate
Calcium Phosphate \(\PageIndex{1}\)
Calcium Phosphate \(\PageIndex{2}\)
3.1.I Triple Phosphate
Triple Phosphate \(\PageIndex{1}\)
Triple Phosphate \(\PageIndex{2}\)
Triple Phosphate \(\PageIndex{3}\)
3.1.J Bilirubin
Bilirubin \(\PageIndex{1}\)
3.1.K Cystine
Cystine \(\PageIndex{1}\)
3.1.L Cholesterol
3.1.M Leucine
3.1.N Tyrosine
3.1.O Sulfonamide
Sulfonamide\(\PageIndex{1}\)
3.1.P Radiographic Dye
3.1.Q Ampicillin