A case of hematoidin crystals found in cervical abscess

Abstract

Hematoidin crystals are formed when bleeding occurs in a closed environment and may be observed in cerebrospinal fluid and urine. The crystals appear rhombic needle-shaped or granule-shaped and their color is from yellowish brown to reddish brown. Particularly in the cerebrospinal fluid, hematoidin crystals are a useful indicator for the differential diagnosis of blood contamination by aspiration biopsy or the presence of old blood from intracranial bleeding. It is important to detect these crystals because their appearance can provide useful information on the bleeding time. We report a case in which hematoidin crystals were observed in a cervical abscess.