Radiological Investigation of Acute Renal Colic: A Two-Cycle Clinical Audit.

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Radiology
• Healthcare Auditing

Background:

• Renal colic is a common urological emergency.
• Noncontrast computed tomography of the kidneys, ureters, and bladder (CT KUB) is the standard investigation.
• Audit evaluated CT KUB appropriateness for acute renal colic.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the appropriateness of CT KUB imaging for acute renal colic.
• To evaluate scan timing, diagnostic yield, and request adequacy.
• To improve adherence to national guidelines for renal colic investigation.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of patients with suspected renal colic.
• Two audit cycles conducted before and after an educational intervention.
• Statistical analysis using SPSS, comparing continuous and categorical variables.

Main Results:

• Mean scan reporting time reduced from 14.7 to 8.2 hours (p < 0.001).
• Proportion of scans reported within 24 hours increased from 92.2% to 100% (p = 0.007).
• Sufficient history documentation improved (76.6% to 89.5%, p = 0.034), and nonspecific abdominal pain reports decreased (9.1% to 0%, p = 0.007).

Conclusions:

• Targeted educational interventions enhance CT KUB timeliness and request quality.
• Improved adherence to national guidelines for renal colic investigation was observed.
• Structured clinical pathways and collaboration optimize urological emergency care.