Membrane filtration in microscopical examination of urinary sediment.

Abstract

Microscopical examination of the urinary sediment has been performed after membrane filtration and after routine centrifugation, and the results were compared. Various quantities of urine were filtered through a membrane with pore size of 3 micrometer, stained with Shorr stain and made translucent with xylol. All granular and cellular casts were counted on a trimmed membrane, 15 X 20 mm. The routine centrifugation was carried out on 10 ml urine at 1500 rpm for 3 min. Among 11 patients with glomerulonephrits and recurrent hematuria, casts were found in 9 after filtration but in only 2 after routine centrifugation. Casts were detected by the filter method in the urine after angiography of the kidneys in 8 of 12 patients, after centrifugation in only one of them. No casts were found in 6 patients with hematuria due to urological disorders and in 21 healthy persons. The diagnostic sensitivity of microscopical examination of urine was greatly increased by the filter method. This may be due to larger amount of urine examined by the filter method, but an additional cause may be that routine centrifugation destroys red cell casts.