OBJECTIVE: Revisiting the chemical diversity of the crystalline phases of prostatic calculi by means of SEM and FT-IR analysis. METHODS: A set of 32 prostatic calculi has been studied by FT-IR and SEM. RESULTS: FT-IR analysis has determined the chemical composition of each prostatic calculus and the SEM observation has described the morphology of the calculi surfaces and layers. Infrared analysis revealed that 90.7% of the stones were mainly composed of calcium phosphates. However, several mineral phases previously not reported in prostatic calculi were observed, as brushite or octocalcium phosphate pentahydrate. CONCLUSION: Prostatic calculi exhibited a diversity of crystalline composition and morphology. As previously reported for urinary calculi, relationships between composition and morphology of prostatic stones and étiopathogenic conditions could be of interest in clinical practice.
OBJECTIVE: Revisiting the chemical diversity of the crystalline phases of prostatic calculi by means of SEM and FT-IR analysis. METHODS: A set of 32 prostatic calculi has been studied by FT-IR and SEM. RESULTS: FT-IR analysis has determined the chemical composition of each prostatic calculus and the SEM observation has described the morphology of the calculi surfaces and layers. Infrared analysis revealed that 90.7% of the stones were mainly composed of calcium phosphates. However, several mineral phases previously not reported in prostatic calculi were observed, as brushite or octocalcium phosphate pentahydrate. CONCLUSION:Prostatic calculi exhibited a diversity of crystalline composition and morphology. As previously reported for urinary calculi, relationships between composition and morphology of prostatic stones and étiopathogenic conditions could be of interest in clinical practice.