Kidney Stone Analysis: What To Think About

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What To Think About

• About 90% of kidney stones can be seen on an X-ray.
• A computed tomography (CT) scan of the ureters and kidneys (also called a CT urogram) is the most common way to find kidney stones. For more information, see the medical test CT Scan of the Body.
• Ultrasound may also be used to find kidney stones. For more information, see the medical test Abdominal Ultrasound.
• Another test that can be done to find a kidney stone is intravenous pyelogram (IVP). During IVP, a dye is put into a vein in your arm. As the dye moves to the kidneys, X-rays are taken to watch the movement of the dye and see where a stone may be. For more information, see the medical test Intravenous Pyelogram (IVP).
• Most kidney stones have calcium in them. A low-calcium diet does not often prevent stones from forming. For more information on lowering your chance for a kidney stone, see the topic Kidney Stones.
• Knowing the type of kidney stone helps guide the best treatment choice.

Last updated:	September 29, 2008
Author:	Monica Rhodes
Reviewed By:	E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine, Tushar J. Vachharajani, MD, FASN, FACP - Nephrology
Editors:	Maria Essig, Tracy Landauer