ROLE OF SCANNING ELECTRON-MICROSCOPY AND X-RAY-MICROANALYSIS IN THE IDENTIFICATION OF URINARY CRYSTALS

  • 1 September 1987
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 1  (3) , 1405-1411
Abstract
Urinary crystals can be identified by using analytical electron microscopic techniques of scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive x-ray microanalysis. Crystal habit can be recognised by scanning electron microscopy and their chemical nature by elemental analysis. With a conventional detector the lightest element that can routinely be detected is sodium, but with a windowless or thin window detector even carbon can be detected. Thus almost all the commonly occurring urinary crystals including uric acid can be analysed by energy dispersive x-ray microanalysis.