Casts Test

Urinary casts are tiny tube-shaped particles produced by the kidney and present in the urine in certain disease states that can be found when urine is examined under the microscope during a test called urinalysis. First described by Henry Bence Jones, casts form via precipitation of protein which is secreted by renal tubule cells. Cast formation is noticeable in environments favoring protein denaturation and precipitation (low flow, concentrated salts, low pH). Tamm–Horsfall protein is particularly vulnerable to precipitation in these conditions. Urinary casts may be made up of white blood cells, red blood cells, kidney cells, or substances such as protein or fat. The content of a cast can help tell your health care.

It is recommended that you should wear comfortable clothing. Wearing a tight jeans or pants are really tight may shirt should be avoided so that it doesn’t inhibit your movements. There is no need to disturb you diet routine before the test. You can normally eat and drink. Though, if the urine needs to be taken for checking sugar or for any other purposes, urine sample is collected not once but twice. Sometimes you will need to fast the test. Always follow the particular instructions given to you before the test.

Urinary casts may have different shapes, colours and sizes, which depends on their composition. As a result, not only the number of urinary casts but also their type is indicated in the urine test. Hyaline casts may be detected even if there is no damage to the kidneys as well as in all renal diseases associated with elevated protein levels in the urine. Granular casts may be found in diseases associated with damage to renal tubules and protein in the urine.

Waxy casts are indicatives of a severe damage to the kidneys or an advanced chronic renal disease. Red blood cell casts indicate the renal origin of haematuria (red blood cells in the urine). They are found in acute glomerulonephritis, renal infarction, renal vein thrombosis, diabetic nephropathy, renal tuberculosis, kidney tumours.

White blood cell casts are quite rare and are more common with acute kidney infections. Epithelial cell casts indicate pathological processes in the kidneys. Most often, they are detected in the urine in nephrosis and acute nephritis.

Handful milliliters say; few milliliters of urine sample would be obtained directly from you. Cast Lab Test can be done at numerous sites like the doctor's clinic, test center, and infirmaries.

The urine may be random or morning sample and should be examined within one hour. To keep urine constituents intact, preservation of the urine is very important. To prevent the bacterial growth, immediately refrigerate the urine. For to see the crystals, casts, RBC and white cells, freshly voided and concentrated urine is needed. This sample is carried to the research laboratory for examination.