Maltese Cross Sign Fatty Casts

Fatty degeneration of the tubular epithelium in degenerative tubular disease.

Maltese cross sign fatty casts. This is often referred to as a maltese cross sign because of the resemblance of the tetrad to the cross on peripheral blood smear. Start this article has been rated as start class on the project s quality scale. Under polarized light oval fat bodies demonstrate the maltese cross appearance. If cholesterol or cholesterol esters are present they are associated with the maltese cross sign under polarized light.

When lipiduria occurs epithelial cells or macrophages contain endogenous fats. Lipiduria or lipuria is the presence of lipids in the urine lipiduria is most frequently observed in nephrotic syndrome where it is passed as lipoproteins along with other proteins. This formation is indicated by the white arrow in the bottom image. Maltese cross is within the scope of the heraldry and vexillology wikiproject a collaborative effort to improve wikipedia s coverage of heraldry and vexillology if you would like to participate you can visit the project page where you can join the project and see a list of open tasks.

The urinary sediment showed fatty casts panel a with typical maltese crosses under polarized light panel b and was otherwise unremarkable with no sign of nephritis. Formed by the breakdown of lipid rich epithelial cells these are hyaline casts with fat globule inclusions yellowish tan in color. Renal disease such as nephrotic syndrome produces a fatty cast composed of cholesterol that also has a maltese cross appearance on light microscopy. In the netherlands the maltese cross forms the basic form for the three highest royal orders.

They are pathognomonic for high urinary protein nephrotic syndrome. Fatty casts containing cholesterol will produce classic maltese cross formations under polarized light. Although chiefly associated with the knights hospitaller order of st. The maltese cross is a cross symbol consisting of four v or arrowhead shaped concave quadrilaterals converging at a central vertex at right angles two tips pointing outward symmetrically.

It has also been reported as a sign following fat embolism. Fatty casts oval fat bodies maltese cross pattern under polarized light. John now the. Fatty casts are characteristic of degenerative tubular disease and are frequently associated with heavy proteinuria.

Uric acid many different shapes diamond rhombic prism or rosette. Crystals in acid urine.