Stain for lipid bodies in urinary sediment.

Abstract

Staining urinary sediment to facilitate the identification of various constituents has not been widely utilized until recently. 1 Sudan III has long been used, to a limited extent, for the identification of fat in the urine. 2 Since the presence of fat in casts or cells in the urinary sediment is frequently associated with renal tubular degeneration in diseases such as glomerulonephritis, intercapillary glomerulosclerosis, renal amyloidosis, lupus erythematosus, and lipoid nephrosis, the recognition of fat in the urinary sediment is helpful in making a correct diagnosis. Usually it is observed through a Nicol prism or other polarizing mechanism in the lens system of a microscope. By using Sudan III, we have developed a simple technique for the demonstration of fat globules in urinary sediment. METHOD Fresh urine specimens are centrifuged and the supernatant fluid decanted, leaving approximately 0.2 to 0.3 cc. in the tube. Two to three drops of a