Non Contrast Helical C.T. in The Evaluation of Ureteral Colic

Abstract

Acute flank pain is a common complaint of patients who are examined in emergency department, with nephroureterolithiasis as the cause in a substantial number of patients. Acute ureteric colic is one of the most severe forms of pain in humans that need quick diagnosis and treatment. , . Unfortunately, the clinical findings are non-specific with potential mimics of this condition, including but not limited to appendicitis, diverticulitis, complicated ovanan cyst, pyelonephritis and inflammatory bowel disease. Diagnostic imaging therefore has an increasingly important role in •evaluation of patients with acute flank pain. Patients traditionally have been examined with plain urography (KUB), intra venous urography (IVU) or ultrasound (US) to evaluate calcular disease. KUB radiograph has many limitations, stones lessthan 2 mm in size is difficult to be identified. The radiodensity of ureteral calculi clearly affect their • visibility on . plain radiographs, uric acid stones are usually entirely radiolucent. Plain radiograph is also affected by technical factors as KVp used, with higher KVp, setting in large patients, Compton scattering predominates leading to decrease stone visibility.