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 urethra
Same as WBC
Kidney, bladder,
or urethra
Cystitis, pyelonephritis,
tumors, renal calculi.
Same as WBC.
Infection, trauma, tumors,
renal calculi. Dysmorphic
RBCs indicate glomerular
bleeding.