Related Experiment Videos
US for detecting renal calculi with nonenhanced CT as a reference standard
Keir A B Fowler1, Julie A Locken, Joshua H Duchesne
1Department of Radiology, Health Sciences Center, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, 2211 Lomas Blvd, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA. keirfowler@home.com
Radiology
|January 5, 2002
Summary
Ultrasonography (US) has limited value for detecting renal calculi, showing only 24% sensitivity for individual stones. While specific (90%), US is not ideal for assessing the number or size of calculi.
Area of Science:
- Radiology
- Urology
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Renal calculi (kidney stones) are common, and accurate detection is crucial for effective management.
- Ultrasonography (US) is frequently used for initial kidney stone evaluation due to its accessibility and lack of ionizing radiation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of ultrasonography (US) in detecting renal calculi.
- To assess the accuracy of US in determining the size and number of kidney stones.
- To compare US findings with computed tomography (CT) for renal calculus detection.
Main Methods:
- A retrospective comparison of 123 US and CT examinations for renal calculi.
- Calculation of US sensitivity for individual calculi and per patient.
- Evaluation of US accuracy in measuring calculus size and identifying multiple calculi.
Main Results:
- US demonstrated a sensitivity of 24% and a specificity of 90% for detecting individual renal calculi compared to CT.
- The sensitivity for detecting any calculus in a patient was 44%.
- US accurately measured calculus size in 79% of cases, but 73% of undetected calculi were smaller than 3.0 mm.
Conclusions:
- Ultrasonography has limited value for the definitive detection of renal calculi.
- CT remains a more sensitive modality for identifying kidney stones, especially smaller ones.
- US may be useful for initial screening but is insufficient for comprehensive calculus burden assessment.