Urinalysis and Body Fluids 6th Edition by Majorie DiLorenzo, Susan Strasinger

Exercise 12

Microscopic examination of a clear urine that produces a white precipitate after refrigeration will show:

A. Amorphous urates

B. Porphyrins

C. Amorphous phosphates

D. Yeast

Step 1 of 2

Turbidity of urine:

If the urine has suspended particles and not looking clear, the condition is termed as turbidity.

Non-pathologic Turbid urine:

The urine looks turbidly but there will be no pathogens present in it.

• Refrigerated specimen forms non pathologic turbidity.

• Carbonates, urates, and amorphous phosphates precipitation causes turbidity of refrigerated specimen.

• Amorphous phosphates and carbonates react with alkaline pH of urine producing white precipitate when specimen is refrigerated.

Therefore, refrigerated specimen of urine in microscopic examination shows “amorphous phosphates” which is responsible for white precipitate of urine. Hence, the correct answer is option.