Ultrasound diagnosis of ureteral stones: its usefulness with subsequent excretory urography.

The diagnostic accuracy of ultrasound scanning and excretory urography was compared in 157 patients with ureteral stones. Over-all, the diagnostic accuracy rates were 78.3 per cent for ultrasound scanning and 81.5 per cent for excretory urography. These rates were 83.2 and 85.0 per cent, respectively, in 107 cases of upper ureteral calculi, and 68.0 and 74.0 per cent, respectively, in 50 cases of lower ureteral stones. When the studies were combined the diagnostic accuracy rates increased to 98.1, 94.0 and 96.8 per cent for upper, lower and all stones, respectively. Ultrasound scanning is useful in the diagnosis of ureteral stones, especially in patients with ureteral colic. However, ultrasound combined with subsequent excretory urography is the most reliable method for the diagnosis of ureteral calculi. Bladder filling is a useful diagnostic aid for ultrasound scanning of lower ureteral calculi.