Ultrasound Imaging of Kidney Stones and Lithotripsy

The purpose of our research is to improve the ability to see kidney stones with ultrasound imaging. Specifically, we are testing how well new stone specific processing can find stones and show their size. Ultimately, better imaging can improve the care of future patients.

Patients with kidney stones or undergoing surgery for kidney stones will be recruited and consented.

We will image the kidney and ureter stones of consented subjects. We will place a water-based gel and ultrasound probe against the subject's skin on the back, sides, and abdomen. We will save the images and the raw electrical signals received from the probe and used to make the images. The images will be used to estimate the location and size of kidney stones in the kidney or ureter. The size and location will also be determined from x-ray and ultrasound images and reports already in the subject's medical record. And for recruited subjects who are already undergoing surgery in an existing clinical not research procedure, the surgeon will also measure location and size of stones seen in surgery. All these measurements of size and location of kidney stones will be compared to test the accuracy of the new ultrasound image processing.

After the examination, we will not ask anything more of subjects, but we will collect some information from their existing medical records. This information includes existing images of your stones, size of stones, location of stones, number of stones, type of stones, and treatment records. We will also record your weight, height, race, and ethnicity. Not all this information may be available. We will use what information is available. This additional information is used to test how well our ultrasound exam did. It also shows if we do better with certain groups of patients, for example, for certain stone types or body sizes.

Inclusion criteria

• Patients with kidney stones that are visible on x-ray (i.e., calcium stones)
• Current CT scan within the 90-day pre-operative period
• Able to give informed consent
• Age 21 years or older

Exclusion criteria

• Inability to give informed consent
• Age less than 21 years
• Stones not visible on x-ray
• Patients with systemic disease or renal anatomical disorders (RTA, primary hyperparathyroidism, sarcoidosis, enteric hyperoxaluria, medullary sponge kidney)