Urine sediment , 100x

Urine sediment , 400x

It is sometimes (but not always) possible to find neoplastic cells in the urine sediment in animals suffering from transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder. Note the large number of cells of variable size visible at low magnification (100x).  

At higher magnification (400x), it is possible to see two cells, one of which possesses two nuclei (arrow).  Smaller cells with smaller nuclei can also be observed in the background.  In order to diagnose transitional cell carcinoma based on the urine sediment, it is important to have adequately preserved cells and document enough nuclear atypia to suggest a malignant process.  Not all transitional cell carcinomas will yield a urine sediment containing enough cells to make a diagnosis.  The absence of neoplastic cells in the urine sediment does not exclude neoplasia.