CHAPTER 5 SPONTANEOUS URETERAL STONE PASSAGE

Relationship of Spontaneous Passage of Ureteral Calculi to Stone Size and Location as Revealed by Unenhanced Helical CT

Coll DM, Varanelli MJ, Smith RC. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 2002;178:101–103

BACKGROUND

When clinicians diagnose ureterolithiasis in the ED, patients frequently ask “Will this go away on its own?” Prior to this study, the bulk of the data surrounding spontaneous passage of ureteral stones was based on radiography, which was less sensitive for detecting stones and did not account for radiolucent stones, such as those made of uric acid or xanthine. As unenhanced CT imaging began to play a larger role in the diagnosis of ureterolithiasis it was not known if current urologic guidelines on the spontaneous passage of stones would be affected by the use of a more sensitive diagnostic test.

OBJECTIVES

To determine the relationship between size and location of ureterolithiasis as seen on unenhanced CT scan in relation to likelihood of spontaneous passage.

METHODS

Retrospective observational study between 1994 and 1996.

Patients

Related posts:

Oral vs. IV Rehydration Missed ACS in the ED tPA in Acute MI: The Gusto Trial Epinephrine in Cardiac Arrest Early Goal-directed Therapy in Sepsis Risk of Serious Bacterial Infection in Febrile Infants with RSV