In vitro evaluation of canine and feline calcium oxalate urolith fragility via shock wave lithotripsy.

OBJECTIVE: To test the hypothesis that feline calcium oxalate uroliths are intrinsically more resistant to comminution via shock wave lithotripsy (SWL) than canine calcium oxalate uroliths through comparison of the fragility of canine and feline uroliths in a quantitative in vitro test system. SAMPLE POPULATION: Calcium oxalate uroliths (previously obtained from dogs and cats) were matched by size and mineral composition to create 7 pairs of uroliths (1 canine and 1 feline urolith/pair). PROCEDURE: Uroliths were treated in vitro with 100 shock waves (20 kV; 1 Hz) by use of an electrohydraulic lithotripter. Urolith fragmentation was quantitatively assessed via determination of the percentage increase in projected area (calculated from the digital image area of each urolith before and after SWL). RESULTS: After SWL, canine uroliths (n = 7) fragmented to produce a mean +/- SD increase in image area of 238 +/- 104%, whereas feline uroliths (7) underwent significantly less fragmentation (mean image area increase of 78 +/- 97%). The post-SWL increase in fragment image area in 4 of 7 feline uroliths was < 50%, whereas it was > 150% in 6 of 7 canine uroliths. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Results indicate that feline calcium oxalate uroliths are less susceptible to fragmentation via SWL than canine calcium oxalate uroliths. In some cats, SWL may not be efficacious for fragmentation of calcium oxalate nephroliths or ureteroliths because the high numbers of shock waves required to adequately fragment the uroliths may cause renal injury.

Cystine: helical computerized tomography characterization of rough and smooth calculi in vitro.

PURPOSE: The classification of cystine stones into rough and smooth varieties has been suggested as an aid to choosing treatment for these difficult stones. Since the surface of stones is difficult to visualize preoperatively, we tested the hypothesis that the surface morphology of cystine stones correlates with their internal structure, as viewed by helical computerized tomography (CT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cystine stones were examined visually and categorized into rough (15 stones) and smooth (16 stones) subpopulations of similar size. Each stone was scanned in a helical CT scanner (GE Quad Scanner) to assess radiological characteristics and to measure attenuation values. Scans were also performed using a microCT 20 high resolution laboratory scanner (Scanco Medical AG, Bassersdorf, Switzerland) at 34 microm voxel size and the percent of internal voids was determined. RESULTS: Mean helical CT attenuation values +/- SD for rough stones were lower than for smooth stones (702 +/- 206 vs 921 +/- 51 HU, p <0.002) and the radiological appearance of rough stones suggested radiolucent voids. Internal voids in rough stones were confirmed using micro CT. Rough cystine stones contained a higher percent of internal voids (0.30% vs 0.06%, p <0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Rough cystine stones can be distinguished from smooth stones using helical CT in vitro, suggesting that it may be possible to distinguish these stones preoperatively. Since rough cystine stones have been reported to be susceptible to shock wave lithotripsy, the identification of this morphology of cystine stones in the patient using attenuation values and appearance on helical CT could be valuable for planning treatment.

Nondestructive analysis of urinary calculi using micro computed tomography.

BACKGROUND: Micro computed tomography (micro CT) has been shown to provide exceptionally high quality imaging of the fine structural detail within urinary calculi. We tested the idea that micro CT might also be used to identify the mineral composition of urinary stones non-destructively. METHODS: Micro CT x-ray attenuation values were measured for mineral that was positively identified by infrared microspectroscopy (FT-IR). To do this, human urinary stones were sectioned with a diamond wire saw. The cut surface was explored by FT-IR and regions of pure mineral were evaluated by micro CT to correlate x-ray attenuation values with mineral content. Additionally, intact stones were imaged with micro CT to visualize internal morphology and map the distribution of specific mineral components in 3-D. RESULTS: Micro CT images taken just beneath the cut surface of urinary stones showed excellent resolution of structural detail that could be correlated with structure visible in the optical image mode of FT-IR. Regions of pure mineral were not difficult to find by FT-IR for most stones and such regions could be localized on micro CT images of the cut surface. This was not true, however, for two brushite stones tested; in these, brushite was closely intermixed with calcium oxalate. Micro CT x-ray attenuation values were collected for six minerals that could be found in regions that appeared to be pure, including uric acid (3515 - 4995 micro CT attenuation units, AU), struvite (7242 - 7969 AU), cystine (8619 - 9921 AU), calcium oxalate dihydrate (13815 - 15797 AU), calcium oxalate monohydrate (16297 - 18449 AU), and hydroxyapatite (21144 - 23121 AU). These AU values did not overlap. Analysis of intact stones showed excellent resolution of structural detail and could discriminate multiple mineral types within heterogeneous stones. CONCLUSIONS: Micro CT gives excellent structural detail of urinary stones, and these results demonstrate the feasibility of identifying and localizing most of the common mineral types found in urinary calculi using laboratory CT.

Helical computed tomography accurately reports urinary stone composition using attenuation values: in vitro verification using high-resolution micro-computed tomography calibrated to fourier transform infrared microspectroscopy.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the ability of helical computed tomography (CT) to differentiate regions of known mineral composition in typical, heterogeneous urinary stones. Interest is substantial in the urologic community in using radiologic imaging to determine accurately the composition of urinary calculi. Recent advances in CT make this a viable prospect, but the heterogeneity of most stones is a complicating factor. METHODS: The ability of micro-CT (a high-resolution laboratory instrument) to identify the mineral composition of stones was confirmed by calibrating micro-CT attenuation values to pure mineral regions of sliced stones using infrared microspectroscopy. Intact human urinary stones were then analyzed by micro-CT, and regions-of-interest of pure mineral were correlated with identical regions-of-interest from quad slice multi-detector row helical CT images. With helical CT, narrow slice widths were used to decrease volume-averaging errors, and bone windows were used so that internal stone structure was visible. RESULTS: When stones were imaged using helical CT at narrow slice widths, mineral-specific regions-of-interest yielded nonoverlapping attenuation values for uric acid (566 to 632 Hounsfield units [HU]), struvite (862 to 944 HU), calcium oxalate (1416 to 1938 HU), and hydroxyapatite (2150 to 2461 HU). CONCLUSIONS: High resolution helical CT yields unique attenuation values for common types of stone mineral, but proper windowing is required to localize regions of homogeneity. The results of this in vitro study suggest that high-resolution helical CT may be able to identify stone composition at patient diagnosis.

Variability of renal stone fragility in shock wave lithotripsy.

OBJECTIVES: To measure, in an in vitro study, the number of shock waves to complete comminution for 195 human stones, representing six major stone types. Not all renal calculi are easily broken with shock wave lithotripsy. Different types of stones are thought to have characteristic fragilities, and suggestions have been made in published reports of variation in the fragility within some types of stones, but few quantitative data are available. METHODS: Kidney stones classified by their dominant mineral content were broken in an unmodified Dornier HM3 lithotripter or in a research lithotripter modeled after the HM3, and the number of shock waves was counted for each stone until all fragments passed through a sieve (3-mm-round or 2-mm-square holes). RESULTS: The mean +/- SD number of shock waves to complete comminution was 400 +/- 333 per gram (n = 39) for uric acid; 965 +/- 900 per gram (n = 75) for calcium oxalate monohydrate; 1134 +/- 770 per gram (n = 21) for hydroxyapatite; 1138 +/- 746 per gram (n = 13) for struvite; 1681 +/- 1363 per gram (n = 23) for brushite; and 5937 +/- 6190 per gram (n = 24) for cystine. The variation for these natural stones (83% +/- 15% coefficient of variation) was greater than that for artificial (eg, gypsum-based) stones (17% +/- 8%). CONCLUSIONS: The variability in stone fragility to shock waves is large, even within groups defined by mineral composition. Thus, knowing the major composition of a stone may not allow adequate prediction of its fragility in lithotripsy treatment. The variation in stone structure could underlie the variation in stone fragility within type, but testing of this hypothesis remains to be done.