Predicting The Fragility Of Renal Calculi In Response To Shock Wave Lithotripsy Through Their Radiographic Appearance

Objectives: To evaluate the radiological characteristics of renal stones on plain X-ray film of the kidneys, ureters and bladder (KUB) area as predictors of stone fragility during shock wave lithotripsy (SWL).Patients and Methods: This prospective study included 336 patients who had a single renal pelvic stone .20 mm and were managed by SWL at 3 different centers. The patients were classified according to the radiological appearance of the stone on KUB film in terms of homogeneity,smoothness of the outline, and radiodensity in comparison to the last rib. The primary endpoint was the stone-free rate (SFR) within 3 months post-SWL. Multivariate regression analysis was used to compare the results.Results: The overall SFR was 71.43%. SFR was significantly higher in heterogeneous compared with homogenous stones (86% vs. 53%;