The Program

“sedimage” is an educational program created for the users of sediMAX fully automated urine sediment analyzer which supplies whole field microscopic images.

The idea was given to us a few years ago by a colleague who had come across, on the screen of sediMAX, two types of crystals which he could not identify with certainty, a fact which prompted him to ask for our opinion. We were able to identify the particles as crystals of ammonium biurate and uncommon uric acid.
During the telephone call which followed, while we were discussing with our colleague about those crystals, he suddenly asked: “Why don’t you set up a sort of ‘container’ in which you collect the images of intriguing and interesting particles obtained by sediMAX?”
The idea was so good that it started sprouting and growing in our mind, encouraged by other images which we were receiving from various European laboratories.
All this gradually led to the development of the present program, which is now a reality thanks to the support of A. Menarini Diagnostics and Elektronika 77.

The aims of this program are:

1. To collect from the sediMAX users images of individual urinary sediment particles and of urinary profiles, which are considered of particular interest for their morphology and/or their clinical meaning.

2. To create an ongoing database in which the uploaded images will integrate and expand our printed monograph “The urinary sediment by sediMAX. A new approach to urinary sediment examination”, published by Elsevier in 2012.

3. To report on relevant papers on urinary sediment as they are published in international journals

4. To use “sedimage” as an educational tool to stimulate the interest in and knowledge on urinary sediment, in order to improve the quality of this still important disagnostic tool.

We do hope that with your active participation we will be able to achieve these ambitious targets.

Giovanni B. Fogazzi, M.D.
Giuseppe Garigali, ScD.