A supravital cytodiagnostic stain for urinary sediments
R. Sternheimer
A mixture of aqueous solutions of National fast blue, a
copper-phthalocyanine dye, and pyronin B, a red xanthene dye, when added to
fresh urinary sediment, supravitally stains benign or malignant cells and
the various types of casts and their inclusions. The stain facilitates
identification of the formed elements and particularly aids in the
differentiation of polymorphonuclear leukocytes from lymphocytes,
histiocytes, plasma cells, and renal tubular cells. A variable staining of
casts and their inclusions has been observed. Tumor cells may be recognized
by nuclear abnormalities or, in case of hyperchromatic tendency, by a very
rapid and early uptake of dye preceding that of the surrounding cells. The
staining method is rapid and simple enough for routine urinalysis and
screening procedures.
