Attention Nephrology Fellows: Compete in the 2nd Annual NephMadness Invitational Tournament at the 2025 NKF Spring Clinical Meeting!
Onconephrology Early Program at ASN , titled “Onconephrology: Cancer, Its Treatments and the Kidneys.”
Leucine Crystals in the Urine – Still enigmatic after more than 150 years
Wanted: RFN Fellow Editor (Application Due 11/1)
Kidney Comics: The Nephron Factory
Skeleton Key Group Case #35: Rhabdo Fiasco
2025 NephSIM Nephrons: Application Due 11/1 (For Medical Students & Residents)
Advances in Peritoneal Dialysis Symposium: 9/27 (In-Person)
Skeleton Key Group Case #34: Adrenal Insufficiency- A Salty Saga
Urine Sediment of the Month: Identifying Phagocytosed Particles
“What am I looking at? ” Phagocytosis and particle internalization by cells in the urine is not common, but of clinical interest when it occurs.Phagocytosis/particle internalization can be observed in urine microscopy by the usual culprits: professional phagocytes…
Urine Sediment of the Month: Beyond the Urizon
One of the welcome side-effects of doing your own urine sediment examination is having easy access to a microscope and some basic lab equipment. This allows you to examine all sorts of things besides urine (Fig. 1). For…
Urine Sediment of the Month: To Stain or Not to Stain
To stain, or not to stain, that is the question. Different illumination techniques are available to visualize the formed elements in the urinary sediment. The two most commonly used are brightfield and phase contrast. Brightfield illumination provides high…
Urine Sediment of the Month: Pathologic Crystals in the Urine
Urinary crystals are a frequent finding and there are several different types that can be observed under the microscope. We’ve discussed some of these crystals in a previous Urine Sediment of the Month post. Unlike these more common…
Urine Sediment of the Month: Crystal Casts
Identification of crystals and casts by microscopic examination of the urinary sediment is of clinical importance. Specifics about crystals and casts have been previously covered in preceding posts of this blog. Interestingly, crystalline structures can occasionally be embedded…
Urine Sediment of the Month: Urine’s True Colors
The golden days of urine are here to stay, and “liquid biopsy” is not just for NephMadness. Discolorations of urine are common and never fail to startle both patients and professionals. When analyzing urine coloration, it is helpful…
Urine Sediment of the Month: Mixed Cellular Casts
As we have covered before, RBC casts most often signify the presence of glomerulonephritis while WBC casts are indicative of an inflammatory process affecting the glomeruli or interstitium. Sometimes, casts can be seen which contain both red and…
Urine Sediment of the Month: When you Hear Hoofbeats… Unusual Cell Types in Urine
If you’re regular reader of Urine Sediment posts, you know all about red cells, white cells, and epithelial cells by now – but what about the zebras of the urine sediment? In 2019 we talked about the so-called…
Urine Sediment of the Month: Evidence of Nephritic & Nephrotic Syndrome in a Single Snapshot
Microscopic examination of the urinary sediment is essential in the evaluation of glomerular disease. The value of identification of urinary acanthocytes in the diagnosis of glomerular hematuria has been previously reviewed. Similarly, recognition of lipiduria consistent with glomerular…
Urine Sediment of the Month: Isolated Lipiduria
What is “isolated lipiduria”? The detection of urinary lipid droplets with a typical Maltese cross appearance in the absence of proteinuria or albuminuria. There are no reports or systematic analyses of this phenomenon, so this post reflects anecdotal…