What type of crystals are indicated by colorless, hexagonal plates?

Colorless, hexagonal plates in urine indicate the presence of cystine crystals. Cystine is an amino acid, and its crystals form due to a metabolic condition called cystinuria, where cystine is poorly reabsorbed in the kidneys. These crystals appear as colorless, flat, and hexagonal shapes, distinguishing them from other types of crystals found in urine.

In contrast, tyrosine crystals are typically seen as fine, yellowish-brown needles or clumps rather than hexagonal plates. Calcium carbonate crystals usually have a more characteristic dumbbell shape or granules and are not typically colorless. Cholesterol crystals, on the other hand, are often colorless but take on a more rectangular or needle shape, distinguishing them from the hexagonal appearance of cystine crystals. Understanding these characteristics is crucial in the laboratory analysis of urine to help diagnose specific metabolic disorders.