Differential Count of Urinary Leukocytes and Renal Epithelial Cells

A Comparison between Phase Contrast Microscopy of Unstained Sediments and Light Microscopy of Fixed and Stained Specimens

Abstract

Urine samples from 143 patients were treated in two ways. One part of every sample was centrifuged in a conventional centrifuge and the other one in the Cytospin® centrifuge, a so-called cytocentrifuge. Cytocentrifligation seemed to be better suited for cell concentration than common centrifugation, yielding a greater number of specimens with a sufficient number of cells for a differential count. The sediments obtained by common centrifugation were examined by phase contrast microscopy, while the cytocentrifuged specimens were examined by conventional light microscopy after fixation and staining with Papanicolaou technique. By both methods were determined the percentages of renal epithelial cells, granulocytes and mononuclear leukocytes. Similar results were obtained by both methods. The percentages of renal epithelial cells and granulocytes varied from case to case. The percentage of mononuclear leukocytes was small in all cases. Use of fixation and staining seemed to enhance the possibilities of identification of histiocytes and lymphocytes.