The stones

Various stones were examined by a combined electron microscopy. Morphological parameters of calcium oxalates and phosphates, struvite, urates, cystine, gypsum, siliceous deposits in urinary, prostatic and salivary calculi, and calcium carbonate in gallstones were defined. Study also disclosed that stones frequently contain organic crystals in addition to the organic matrix. Membranous cell debris was observed in the nuclei of small stones and were believed to be common nidus of various stones. In view of a very limited number of crystals occurring in human stones, which differ obviously in their habits and growth patterns, an expeditious identification of stone components is possible by scanning electron microscopy. SEM with x-ray analysis is a powerful tool for research and diagnosis of various stones. It is most suitable for the study of surface phenomena, such as crystal growth, detection of phenomena, such as crystal growth, detection of organic matrix and minor components of the stones, and is a wide open field for a further study.