Renal scintigraphy in initial evaluation of renal colic

To determine the role of renal scintigraphy (RS) in patients with suspected acute urinary tract obstruction, a prospective study was performed comparing RS with emergency intravenous excretory urography (IVU) in 36 examinations. Thirty patients were diagnosed as having renal colic: 28 had dilation of the urinary tracts with (89%) or without (11%) visualized stone; 2 patients with stones did not have stasis at the IVU. An abnormal RS was found in 28 patients with abnormal IVU, while it was normal in the 2 nonobstructed patients (sensitivity = 93%). The radiopaque stones in these 2 patients were seen on plain x-ray film of the abdomen. The results of this study support the use of RS combined with a plain film of the abdomen in the initial evaluation of renal colic.