Drug-seeking behavior in urolithiasis in the noncontrast computed tomography era: 2 cases
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Updated: Oct 17, 2026

Point-of-Care Kidney and Genitourinary Ultrasound in Adults: Image Acquisition
Published on: June 21, 2024
Abstract:
Symptomatic urolithiasis is usually treated with narcotic pain management. This leads to the potential for use of its symptoms for personal gain. Historically, the typical presentation of a narcotic-seeking "stone patient" was a history of radiolucent stones and an intravenous contrast allergy. With the increased use of non-contrast-enhanced computed tomography to evaluate patients suspected of having acute urolithiasis, we have seen a change in the strategy of narcotic-seeking patients. We report 2 patients with pelvic calcifications on non-contrast-enhanced computed tomography feigning symptoms of urolithiasis to receive narcotic drugs.
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