STUDIES OF CRYSTAL SIZE OF APATITE IN URINARY CALCULI

Abstract

The sizes of single crystals of apatite in 56 urinary calculi were measured by means of the X-ray diffraction line broadening technique.
(a) The length along c-axis (Lc) could be determined for 56 the specimens; it ranges from 110Å to 1160Å.
The width along an a-axis (La) could be measured for some selected specimens only because of the poor resolution of the X-ray diffraction peak indexed as (300).
(b) Lc is likely to be larger than La, and La tends to increase in proportion to increasing Lc.
(c) Lc tends to be larger in lower urinary tract calculi as compared with that in upper urinary tract calculi.
(d) Lc is likely to be smaller at the core area than at the surface area in individual calculi.
(e) Lc tends to be larger in apatite-calucium oxalate mixed calculi as compared with apatite-calculi.
(f) No clear correlative relationahip was detected between the crystal sizes of apatite and the major diameters of the urinary calculi.