Define Urinary Sediment

Urologists often examine the sediment found in urine samples. Analysis of urinary sediment can provide doctors with insight into the health of a patient's kidneys and urological system.

Identification

• Urinary sediment refers to the solid matter that collects at the bottom of a urine sample that has been centrifuged.

Preparation of Urine Sediment

• Lab technicians agitate the test tube containing the urine sample by tapping it several times with their finger or against a surface to re-suspend the sediment. They transfer the suspended sediment to a glass slide and encase it with a cover slip.

Significance

• A microscopic examination of urinary sediment can indicate the presence and amount of red and white blood cells, infectious organisms, casts, yeast and bacteria, crystals and epithelial cells in the urine.

Types

• Telescoped urinary sediment is a type of sediment that contains roughly equal, large amounts of red and white blood cells, various types of casts and oval fat bodies. Telescoped sediment may be found in the urine of patients suffering from lupus nephritis, malignant hypertension, rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis and diabetic glomerulosclerosis.

Limitations

• Technicians may refrigerate urine samples in order to preserve casts and cells. Refrigeration may bring about precipitation of urates and phosphates, which can make it difficult to analyze urinary sediment.