The utility of unenhanced helical CT in assessing the frequency of ureterolithiasis in Saudi patients

OBJECTIVE: To identify 650 patients who underwent CT for renal colic, and review them for age and gender, in Saudi Arabia.

METHODS: Scans were performed on a 16 multislice scanner. A total of 650 patients, with the clinical suspicion of ureteric colic were reviewed; 220 females (33.8%) and 430 males (66.2%), with a female to male ratio of 1:2. Exams were carried out from January 2005 to November 2006, at King Khalid University Hospital, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

RESULTS: Three hundred and ninety five patients out of 650 had stones; 2 of 395 (0.5%) had stones in the 5-15 years age group, 28 (7.1%) in the 16-25 years age group, 99 (25.1%) in the 26-35 years, 106 (26.8%) in the 36-45 age group, 84 (21.9%) in the 46-55 age group, 51 (12.9%) in the 56-65 age group, and 25 (6.3%) in the above 66 years age group. The most significant finding in our study is that as the patients age increases so does the percentage of stones up to the age of 56, with a peak at age group of 26-35 where stone percentage reaches 26.8%.

CONCLUSION: Unenhanced helical CT is useful for the diagnosis of ureterolithiasis.