INSTRUMENTS IN
PATHOLOGY
URINOMETER
Urinometer
• It is used to measure the specific gravity of urine.
• Enough amount of urine is taken in the container.
• The urinometer is then allowed to float freely and then
specific gravity of urine is measured by reading graduation
on stem.
• Normal specific gravity 1.016 -1.022.
ESBACH’S ALBUMINOMETER
•Esbach's Albuminometer; for testing quantitative
estimation of albumin in urine.
•Urine is filled to the ‘U’ mark and a chemical reagent to
the ‘R’ mark.
•The substance stood for 24 hours before the protein levels
are assessed.
•Unusual levels of albumin in the urine can indicate kidney
problems.
•Esbach’s reagent - Picric acid + Citric acid
Composition of ESBACH’s Reagent
• Citric acid-20 gm
• Picric acid -10gm
• Distilled water-1litre
SAHLI’S
HAEMOGLOBINOMETER
• Uses: Estimation of Haemoglobin by Sahli’s Acid
Haematin Method.
Hb count by Sahli's haemoglobinometer (acid haematin method):
Principle: Anticoagulated blood is added to the 0.1 N HCl and kept for 5-7 minutes
to form acid haematin. The color of this acid haematin should be matched with the
solution, present in the calibration tube. Distilled water is added to the acid haematin
until the color matches and the final reading is directly noted from the graduation in
the calibration tube. [Please note that 100 percent on the scale corresponds to 14.5gm
% to 15gm
Requirements: Sahli's haemoglobinometer, Hydrochloric acid, distilled water.
Procedure: Place N/10 HCL in diluting tube up to the mark 20. Take blood in the
haemoglobin pipette up to 20-cubic-mm-mark and blow it into diluting tube and rinse
well. After 10 minutes add distilled water in drops and mix the tube until it has
exactly the same color as the comparison standards. Note the reading, which indicates
the percentage o
Result: The Hb estimation of the given sample is ..... g/100 ml of blood/.....g/dl of
blood/.....G%.
Precautions: i. Pipetting of blood should be done cautiously ii. Mix the blood
properly with HCl by using stirrer iii. Match the color cautiously.
HAEMOGLOBIN PIPETTE
• It is a cylindrical specific pipette having only
one marking of 20 cumm and no bulb .
• Used for Estimation of Haemoglobin by
Sahli’s method.
NEUBAUER’S CHAMBER
• The hemocytometer (or haemocytometer or counting
chamber) is a specimen slide which is used to
determine the concentration of cells in a liquid sample.
• It is frequently used to determine the concentration of
blood cells (hence the name “hemo-“) but also the
concentration of sperm cells in a sample.
• The cover glass, which is placed on the sample, does
not simply float on the liquid, but is held in place at a
specified height (usually 0.1mm).
• Uses - RBC Count, TLC, Platelet count, Sperm count
and cells in the CSF
• Additionally, a grid is etched into the glass of
the hemocytometer.
• This grid, an arrangement of squares of
different sizes, allows for an easy counting of
cells. This way it is possible to determine the
number of cells in a specified volume.
WBC PIPETTE and RBC PIPETTE
• RBC pipette consists of a red bead inside the
bulb, where as WBC pipette consists of a white bead
inside the bulb.
• RBC pipette is cleaned by rinsing with water, then alcohol
& then with acetone, where as WBC pipette is cleaned by
rinsing with 2% v/v acetic acid because it lyses RBC's
leaving only WBC visible
• WBC Diluting fluid: Ideal diluting fluid should dilute the
blood, destroy RBC but not WBCs and stain the nucleus
of WBCs
• Diluting fluid used is Turk’s fluid.
• Composition: Gentian violet - 0.025gm
• Glacial acetic acid - 2cc
• Distilled water upto – l00 mL
• Gentian violet stains the nucleus of WBCs. Glacial acetic
acid destroys the RBCs by hemolysis.
• Other uses of WBC pipette:
1. Cell count in C.S.F.
2. Sperm count
3. Absolute Eosinophil count
4. R.B.C. count in severe anaemia
• R.B.C diluting fluid: Hayem’s fluid is the commonly used
diluting fluid.
Composition:
Sodium chloride 0.5 Gm
Sodium sulphate 2.5 Gm
Mercuric perchloride 0.25 Gm
Distilled water 100 ml
• Sodium chloride and sodium sulphate together keeps the
isotonicity of fluid. Sodium sulphate also prevents
clumping of red cells. Mercuric perchloride fixes the cells
and acts as a preservative
Other uses of R.B.C. pipette:
1. WBC count in leukemias
2. Platelet counting
Uses of the bead in the bulb
1. For proper mixing
2. To know whether the pipette is dry
3. To identify the pipette
Westergren’s Pipette
• Westergren’s (pipette) is a long cylindrical thick glass
tube of 300 mm length and 2.5 mm bore diameter.
• It is open at both ends and is graduated from 0 to 200 in
mm scale from top to bottom.
• The markings are only over the lower 2/3rds of the tube.
• The anticoagulant used is sodium citrate of
concentration 3.8%. Proportion of anticoagulant to
blood is 1:4.
• for determining ESR.
• Normal value - Male 3-5 mm in first hour, females 4-7
mm in first hour
Wintrobe’s tube
• This is 11 cm long tube with 3mm bore
• It is closed at one end .It is graduated in two scales.It
is marked 0 at bottom and 10 at top for estimation of
PCV and 0 at top and 10 at bottom for estimation of
ESR.
• Anticoagulant EDTA used in ratio 1:4 .
• Used for estimation of ESR, PCV and preparation of
buffered coat.
WINTROBE TUBE
BLOOD SAMPLE
COLLECTION VIALS
• Lavender /purple cap -EDTA
• Red cap –no anticoagulant
• Grey cap- for sodium floride.
• Light blue- 3.8% tri-sodium citrate
EDTA
Uses of EDTA Bulb
• Smears can be prepared from EDTA blood
upto 4 hours after collection.
• Complete blood counts (CBC) (i.e.
haemoglobin estimation, TLC, DLC, platelet
count, RBC Count, eosinophil count) can be
done from EDTA sample within one hour.
• Ideal for use in cell counters.
Uses of sodium citrate bulb
• Citrate is anticoagulant of choice for
coagulation studies; it is used as 3.8% in the
ratio of 1:8 between anticoagulant and the
whole blood.
• Citrate blood is used for Westergren method
of ESR determination, a ratio of 1:4 between
citrate and blood is used. (0.4 ml citrate + 1.6
ml blood)
L.P. Needle
• Size-22 gauge (most commonly used)
• It is 90mm long needle
• Contains-needle and stylet
• Uses-
1. Collection of CSF
2. Guided FNAC of internal organ like
lung ,liver,kidney etc.
BM Examination needle
1. Bone marrow aspiration needle- Salah, Klima
and Islam needle
2. Bone marrow biopsy needle- Jamshidi
needle(6-12 gauge) –contains needle,
obturator and stylet
Use- Bone Marrow examination
• Salah needle-It has a guard with side screw.
• Klima needle –no Guard in this needle.
• Uses:
• Criteria of BM
• Unexplained cytopenia
• MDL
• Suspected myeloproliferative disorders
• Plasma cell dysplasia
• CLL
• Pyrexia of unknown origin
• Parasites
Plastic tissue Cassettes/ Block Moulds
•Disposable plastic cassettes for biopsy processing
and embedding.
•Moulded from high density acetyl polymer
•A total 128 slots each measures 1x5 mm.
•Available in 11 colors
COPLIN JAR
DIPSTICKS FOR URINE
DLC COUNTER
LANCET
Purple / Lavender Vacutainer
• Contains EDTA (Ethylene-diamine-tetra-acetic Acid) as
anticoagulant.
• EDTA is a chelating agent that effectively binds to calcium
ions, which are crucial for blood caogulation. By removing
free calcium, EDTA prevents the cascade of reactions that
leads to clot formation.
• Uses :
1. Complete Blood Cell count - Hb, TLC, DLC, Platelet, ESR
2. Glycosylated Hb (HbA1C)
Red Vacutainer
• A red vacutainer tube does not contain an
anticoagulant. It’s designed for collecting
blood samples where serum is needed for
testing. These tubes allow the blood to clot
naturally and the serum is then separated for
analysis.
• Uses - LFT, KFT, Lipid profile, Viral markers
(HIV, Hep B, Hep C), Widal, Serum Calcium
Blue Vacutainer
• Contains Sodium Citrate as an anticoagulant, it
binds calcium ions, which are necessary for
blood clotting thus preventing coagulation.
• Uses:
1. PT (Prothrombin time)
2. APTT (Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time)
3. D-dimer test
Grey Vacutainer
• Sodium fluoride is present in these tubes
which serves as an antiglycolytic agent.
• Uses - estimation of blood glucose
