ZEISS Gout Microscopes

These high quality ZEISS microscopes were designed specifically for identifying gout or CPPD (pseudo-gout) crystals suspended in synovial fluid. Gout microscopes are used to identify crystals found in body fluids. Gout is a kind of arthritis that occurs when uric acid builds up in blood and causes joint inflammation. Gout is diagnosed by taking synovial fluid from the infected joint in the process of arthrocentesis. Lab technicians prepare a wet smear on a microscope slide with the fluid and use polarized microscopy to determine the presence of sodium urate crystals (gout) or calcium pyrophosphate dehydrate or CPPD within the fluid. CPPD crystals are small rods, squares, or rhomboids and are usually harder to identify without a gout or polarized light microscope. Polarizing filters can be easily adjusted when using the gout microscope.