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Lawrenceville, GA
Labce by MediaLab

Medical Laboratory Staff: Earn CE credits for your certification maintenance and/or license! Affiliate of MediaLab, Inc. www.LabCE.com, www.MediaLab.com
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MLS/MLT Students: Prepare for your exams with our amazing Exam Simulator! Continuing education offerings spanning all disciplines of laboratory science. Our P.A.C.E.-approved courses are perfect for certification maintenance, licensure renewal, and to meet your facility's continuing education requirements.

09/01/2025

Welcome back to Under the Scope with Octavius! 🔬🐙

Can you identify the pictured finding? (Hint: seen during urine sediment examination)

Check back in on Friday, September 5, at 5:00 PM ET for the answer!

08/29/2025

Thank you for participating in Under the Scope with Octavius! 🔬🐙 This week's answer is...
Bilirubin crystals!

Bilirubin crystals are abnormal urinary crystals that indicate the presence of conjugated bilirubin in urine. They usually reflect underlying liver or biliary disease, such as biliary obstruction or liver failure. They are uncommon in routine urinalysis but highly significant when present.

Under the scope, bilirubin crystals appear as small, reddish-brown to yellow-brown needles or fine granules. They are often found in clusters or bundles, sometimes giving a “broomstick” or “shaggy” appearance.

08/27/2025

Welcome back to Under the Scope with Octavius! 🔬🐙

Can you identify the urine crystal at the arrows?

Check back in on Friday, August 29, at 5:00 PM ET for the answer!

08/22/2025

Thank you for participating in Under the Scope with Octavius! 🔬🐙 This week's answer is...
Blister cell!

Blister cells are associated with oxidative damage to hemoglobin and membrane injury. They are often seen in hemolytic anemias such as glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency and drug- or toxin-induced hemolysis.

Under the scope, blister cells appear as red blood cells with a clear, empty vacuole-like space resembling a blister or pocket on the cell membrane. The vacuole typically has a smooth outline and gives the cell a partially hollowed appearance. They are precursors to bite cells, which form when splenic macrophages remove the damaged hemoglobin inclusions.

08/19/2025

Welcome back to Under the Scope with Octavius! 🔬🐙

Can you identify the peripheral blood smear finding at the arrow? 🩸

Check back in on Friday, August 22, at 5:00 PM ET for the answer!

08/15/2025

Thank you for participating in Under the Scope with Octavius! 🔬🐙 This week's answer is...
Waxy cast!

Waxy casts are urinary casts that represent the final stage of cast degeneration. They typically form in renal tubules where urine flow is markedly reduced. Waxy casts are considered an indicator of advanced or chronic kidney disease, including chronic glomerulonephritis, chronic tubulointerstitial nephritis, and end-stage renal disease.

Under the scope, waxy casts appear homogeneous, smooth, and refractile, with a pale yellow or colorless hue. They have sharply defined edges, blunt or broken ends, and may display notches or cracks along their surface.

08/11/2025

Welcome back to Under the Scope with Octavius! 🔬🐙

Can you identify the finding at the arrow in this urine specimen?

Check back in on Friday, August 15, at 5:00 PM ET for the answer!

08/08/2025

Thank you for participating in Under the Scope with Octavius! 🔬🐙 This week's answer is...
Plasmodium falciparum!

Plasmodium falciparum is the most virulent species of the Plasmodium genus that causes malaria, a mosquito-borne disease characterized by cyclical fevers, chills, anemia, and splenomegaly. Malaria remains a major global health concern, particularly in tropical and subtropical regions, with P. falciparum responsible for the majority of severe and fatal cases.

While various stages of the parasite can be seen in peripheral blood, the gametocyte stage (pictured) is especially distinctive. Under the scope, the gametocyte appears as a crescent or banana-shaped structure, unlike the round or oval gametocytes of other Plasmodium species. It contains dense cytoplasm with scattered pigment granules and a single nucleus.

08/04/2025

Welcome back to Under the Scope with Octavius!🔬🐙

Can you identify the peripheral blood smear finding at the arrow?

Check back in on Friday, August 8, at 5:00 PM ET for the answer!

08/01/2025

Thank you for participating in Under the Scope with Octavius! 🔬🐙 This week's answer is...
Cholesterol crystals!

Cholesterol crystals in urine are rare and typically suggest serious underlying renal pathology. They form when cholesterol is excreted in the urine and crystallizes, usually in association with nephrotic syndrome or lipiduria.

Under the scope, when examining urine sediment, cholesterol crystals appear as large, flat, rectangular plates with notched or broken corners (a hallmark feature). They are colorless and transparent under brightfield microscopy and strongly birefringent under polarized light, displaying bright colors. When present, they are often seen alongside fatty casts and oval fat bodies.

07/28/2025

Welcome back to Under the Scope with Octavius! 🔬🐙

Can you identify the urine crystal at the arrows?

Check back in on Friday, August 1, at 5:00 PM ET for the answer!

07/25/2025

Thank you for participating in Under the Scope with Octavius—Firework Edition! 🐙🎆 This week's answer, resembling an orange firework, is...
Eosinophilic smudge cell

The cell at the arrow is a broken-open eosinophil or eosinophilic smudge cell. These cells represent disrupted eosinophils, with their cellular contents—particularly eosinophilic granules—dispersed across the smear.

These cells appear as smudged remnants without defined cytoplasmic borders or intact nuclei. This disruption typically occurs during slide preparation and is not usually a pathological finding on its own unless seen in large numbers.

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1745 North Brown Road, Suite 300
Lawrenceville, GA
30045

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http://www.LabCE.com/

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