COMPUTER TOMOGRAPHY AND URINARY CALCULI

1. Clinical Evaluation of Intrarenal Microlith

Abstract

To evaluate extremely small renal calculi (intrarenal microcalculi) which could be observed by computer tomography (CT), but not by ordinary plain roentgenogram, we studied CT in 128 upper urinary calculi patients (249 Kidneys).
The results are follows:
1) In thirty-six out of the 128 cases, intrarenal calculi could not be detected by plain roentgenogram. However, by CT, intrarenal microcalculi were recognized in twenty-three out of the above 36 cases (63.9%).
2) In twenty-seven cases diagnosed as upper urinary calculi by plain roentgenogram, other intrarenal microcalculi were recognized by CT.
3) Within two years, the size of these microcalculi increased enough to be recognized by plain roentgenogram in 20 percents of cases diagnosed as intrarenal microcalculi by CT.