📃 Paper Title: A 970 Hounsfield units (HU) threshold of kidney stone density on non-contrast computed tomography (NCCT) improves patients' selection for extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (ESWL): evidence from a prospective study
🧍 Author: Idir Ouzaid
🕒 Year: 2012
📚 Journal: BJU International
🌎 Country: France
ㅤContext to the study:
Can you cite a study that highlighted the importance of stone density on CT Scan in predicting the success of Extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (ESWL)?
ㅤ✅ Take-home message of study:
Measuring stone density on non-contrast CT imaging is an important factor in predicting the success of extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (ESWL).
Stones <970 HU had a stone-free rate of 96% compared to 38% in stones >970 HU.
ㅤ Prospective cohort study
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Study participants:
Number included: 50
Inclusion criteria:
Patients presenting from January to June 2010
18 years old
Solitary renal stone
Renal stone >5mm and <20mm
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Key study outcomes:
End point follow-up: 4 weeks
On review of non-contrast CT imaging after one ESWL treatment, 52% were stone-free, 24% had clinically insignificant residual fragments and 24% had residual fragments.
A stone density of 970 HU represented the most sensitive (100%) and specific (81%) point on the Youden Index in predicting ESWL success.
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Study Limitations:
Small sample size (50 patients)
Short follow up time (4 weeks) which may overestimate failure rate
Single centre study
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