Urinary sediment analyzed by flow cytometry

A flow cytometer for the automated analysis of urinary sediment was designed, and its performance was examined by the evaluation of 821 specimens. Auramine O, a dye for DNA and RNA, was used for the staining of the sediment. Urine (5 ml or more) was processed by the instrument for sediment analysis. Conventional microscopic analysis was done for comparison. The RBC count, the WBC count, and the number of bacterial cells, epithelial cells, and casts found by the flow cytometer and by microscopy were compared. Correlation was high for all these results. The overall sensitivity, specificity, and efficiency (accuracy) in the items analyzed were 84.7%, 57.8%, and 67.2%, respectively. One hundred specimens could be analyzed by the instrument per hour. The instrument seemed useful for screening for urinary tract disorders to identify specimens that should be analyzed microscopically in routine laboratories.