Blood Cells in the Urine Sediment
Urinalysis and Body
Fluids Review 501
CELL DESCRIPTION ORIGIN CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE COMMENTS
White blood cell (WBC)
Glitter cell
Red blood cell (RBC)
Normal: 0–8/HPF. Clumps
of WBCs associated with
acute infection.Seen in hypotonic urine.Normal: 0–3/HPF. Crenate
in hypertonic urine. Lyse in
hypotonic urine & with 2%
acetic acid.Usually polys. About 12 μm.
Granular appearance.WBC with Brownian move-
ment of granules. Stain
faintly or not at all.Biconcave disk, about 7 μm.
Smooth. Non-nucleated.Kidney, bladder,
or urethraSame as WBCKidney, bladder,
or urethraCystitis, pyelonephritis,
tumors, renal calculi.Same as WBC.Infection, trauma, tumors,
renal calculi. Dysmorphic
RBCs indicate glomerular
bleeding.