Extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy: role of the radiologist

Extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (ESWL) is a new noninvasive treatment modality for urinary calculi. ESWL may be applied to the majority of patients requiring stone removal and is expected to replace, to a large degree, percutaneous stone removal (PSR), now practiced jointly by interventional radiologists and endourologists in most institutions. In a number of cases, ESWL and PSR will be complementary procedures. Technically, ESWL can be considered a radiologic procedure; thus far, radiologists are not participating in its use. In the authors' opinion, ESWL should be a combined urologic radiologic procedure analogous to PSR; this will allow the most rational and effective treatment.