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Crystallite size--is it a new predictor for renal stone burden?
Nandakishore K Shapur1, Vladimir Uvarov, Inna Popov
1Department of Urology, Hadassah Hebrew University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel. moti_duv@yahoo.com
Urology
|September 20, 2012
Summary
Stone composition and crystallite size impact kidney stone burden. Smaller crystallites correlate with larger stone burdens, particularly for calcium oxalate monohydrate and apatite stones, while phosphates and urates form larger stones.
Area of Science:
- Nephrology
- Mineralogy
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Kidney stone burden is a significant clinical concern.
- The role of crystallite size in stone formation is not well understood.
- Understanding stone composition and crystallite architecture is crucial for predicting stone burden.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between stone composition, crystallite size, and the resulting kidney stone burden.
- To determine the clinical significance of crystallite size in the context of renal calculi formation.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of quantitative X-ray diffraction phase analysis data from 286 kidney stones.
- Determination of stone composition and crystallite size for each sample.
- Comparison of these parameters with the stone burden in the pelvicalyceal system.
Main Results:
- A significant association was found between phosphates and urates and high-burden stones, while oxalates were linked to low-burden stones.
- Large crystallites of calcium oxalate monohydrate and hydroxyl apatite were associated with low-burden stones.
- Small crystallites were observed in staghorn calculi, and struvite and urates exhibited uniform crystallite sizes.
Conclusions:
- Oxalate stones are associated with smaller stone burdens.
- High-burden calculi, particularly struvite type, are significantly associated with urates and phosphates.
- A smaller initial crystallite size correlates with a larger ultimate stone burden for calcium oxalate monohydrate and apatite minerals.
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