Crystal Identification, Synovial Fluid

Sample type

Synovial fluid only.

Green-top (heparin) tube (preferred) or lavender-top (EDTA) tube. Slide is not preferred but is acceptable.

Uses

Determine the cause of inflammation

Determination of presence of crystals in body fluids

Precautions

Refrigerate

crystal detection, to ensure that crystals will not be missed;

crystal identification, to determine the identity of the crystals detected in the previous step

Interfering factors

Clotted specimen

frozen specimen

improper labeling

gel-barrier tube

Pre_analytical errors

Crystals will be missed

The corrective action

Make sure crystals will not be missed

Post-analytical errors

Write another patient’s name in the report

The corrective action

Make sure you write the correct name in the report

Reference Range

Negative