Monday, October 16, 2017

Case of the Week 464

This week's case was generously donated by Dr. Julie Ribes. The following objects were seen in a Papanicolaou-stained urine specimen from an elderly man with hematuria. They varied in size, measuring ~ 70 micrometers in length. All images were taken using the 40x objective.

Identification?





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12 comments:

  1. AnonymousOctober 16, 2017 at 2:16 PM

    I vote for some sort of crystal.

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  2. Sheldon CampbellOctober 16, 2017 at 2:18 PM

    Uric acid crystals.

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  3. Idzi P.October 16, 2017 at 2:22 PM

    I've got no experience with pap stain, but I agree: uric acid crystals.

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  4. AnonymousOctober 16, 2017 at 3:08 PM

    The pictures give me the appearance of crytals aggregates forming possibly around a uric acid nucleus.

    Florida Fan

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  5. AnonymousOctober 17, 2017 at 3:03 AM

    I also agree with my predecessors. They look like uric acid crystals. Too small to be S. haematobium eggs, although they can sometimes lead to confusion Parasite eggs in urine cytology: Fact or artifact?

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  6. Sugar MagnoliaOctober 17, 2017 at 2:46 PM

    I also agree. The variation in size, along with the distinct lack of any anatomical features, points me in the direction of a crystal of some sort, likely uric acid due to the diamond shape. The edges of the structure appear "sharp", even ragged, particularly in the third photo. The delicate and "fragile" appearance of the object in the last photo is especially unique, and I would not expect to see anything of the sort in an ova, cyst, or parasite.

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  7. Anthony RochesterOctober 17, 2017 at 9:13 PM

    I was also thinking uric acid crystal

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  8. AnonymousOctober 18, 2017 at 8:48 AM

    Artifact of some sort, likely crystal. I wouldn't try to identify crystal type on this particular preparation.

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  9. UnknownOctober 19, 2017 at 2:35 AM

    Uric acid crystals from morphology and size

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  10. UnknownOctober 20, 2017 at 10:45 PM

    I doubt it a Schistosoma haematobium ova surrounded by many crystals.

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  11. AliOctober 21, 2017 at 8:35 AM

    .....And the correct answer is?...

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  12. drivanpOctober 22, 2017 at 5:32 AM

    look like uric acid crystals

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