Urine crystals
This chart is adapted from the Polansky cards. It’s important to draw your own pictures of the crystals next to their descriptions (see the ones I drew). Drawing them yourself will force you to remember the fine details. You don’t have to draw them well, just make the attempt so it sticks in your mind.
draw crystals or someone will hurt you!!
Crystals in Alkaline Urine
Amorphous phosphates
colorless, irregular granules
forms white precipitate in bottom of tube
Triple phosphate
coffin lids
Ammonium biurate
yellow brown, thorny apples
Calcium carbonate
dumbbell shapes
Crystals in Acidic Urine
Amorphous urates
yellow-brown, irregular granules
forms pink precipitate in bottom of tube
Uric acid
very pleomorphic – often six sided
birefringent; polarizes light
Calcium oxalate
octahedral, envelope form
major part of kidney stones
Leucine
yellow, oily looking spheres with radial striations
associated with liver disease
Tyrosine
spheres consisting of fine yellow needles
associated with liver disease
Cystine
colorless, six-sided plates
unlike uric acid, this doesn’t polarize light
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