Document Detail


Mimics of renal colic: alternative diagnoses at unenhanced helical CT.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  15486235     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
During the past decade, unenhanced computed tomography (CT) has become the standard of reference in the detection of urinary calculi owing to its high sensitivity (>95%) and specificity (>98%) in this setting. Numerous diseases may manifest as acute flank pain and mimic urolithiasis. Up to one-third of unenhanced CT examinations performed because of flank pain may reveal unsuspected findings unrelated to stone disease, many of which can help explain the patient's condition. Alternative diagnoses are most commonly related to gynecologic conditions (especially adnexal masses) and nonstone genitourinary disease (eg, pyelonephritis, renal neoplasm), closely followed by gastrointestinal disease (especially appendicitis and diverticulitis). Hepatobiliary, vascular, and musculoskeletal conditions may also be encountered. Vascular causes of acute flank pain must always be considered, since these constitute life-threatening emergencies that may require the intravenous administration of contrast material for diagnosis. Radiologists must be familiar with the typical findings of urinary stone disease at unenhanced CT, as well as the spectrum of alternative diagnoses that may be detected with this modality, to accurately diagnose the source of flank pain.
Authors:
Creed M Rucker; Christine O Menias; Sanjeev Bhalla
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Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article; Review    
Journal Detail:
Title:  Radiographics : a review publication of the Radiological Society of North America, Inc     Volume:  24 Suppl 1     ISSN:  1527-1323     ISO Abbreviation:  Radiographics     Publication Date:  2004 Oct 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2004-10-15     Completed Date:  2005-11-08     Revised Date:  2005-11-16    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  8302501     Medline TA:  Radiographics     Country:  United States    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  S11-28; discussion S28-33     Citation Subset:  IM    
Copyright Information:
Copyright RSNA, 2004.
Affiliation:
Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University School of Medicine, 510 S Kingshighway Blvd, St Louis, MO 63110, USA.
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Adult
Aged
Colic / etiology,  radiography*
Diagnosis, Differential
Female
Humans
Kidney Diseases / etiology,  radiography*
Male
Middle Aged
Tomography, Spiral Computed*
Urinary Calculi / complications,  radiography
Urologic Diseases / complications,  radiography

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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