What is Urology?

Urology: Urinary & Reproductive Disease Diagnosis & Treatment

Urology treats urinary tract diseases in all genders and male reproductive issues, covering the kidneys, bladder, prostate, urethra, from infections to complex cancers.

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Diagnosis and Tests

Laser Lithotripsy

The Diagnostic Roadmap for Endourological Intervention

Before having Laser Lithotripsy at Liv Hospital, patients go through a thorough diagnostic process. This step confirms the presence of stones and maps out the urinary tract. For minimally invasive surgery to work well, the doctor needs to know the stone’s size, location, hardness, and the details of the patient’s anatomy. This helps choose the right tools and laser settings for each case.

Radiological Imaging: The Gold Standard

Imaging gives the surgeon a clear view before surgery. High-quality scans are needed to decide if endoscopic treatment is possible and safe.

  • Non-Contrast Computerized Tomography NCCT This is the definitive diagnostic modality for urinary stones. A CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis performed without contrast dye detects over 99 percent of urinary stones.
    • Clinical Utility: The CT scan provides three critical pieces of information. First, the stone size, which dictates whether lithotripsy is indicated over observation. Second, the stone location proximal ureter versus lower pole calyx, which determines the surgical approach, URS versus RIRS. Third, the stone density, measured in Hounsfield Units HU. A high HU suggests a hard stone, such as calcium oxalate monohydrate, requiring high-power fragmentation settings, while a low HU suggests a softer stone, amenable to dusting.
  • Ultrasonography Ultrasound is a valuable first-line screening tool, handy for pregnant patients and children to avoid radiation exposure. It uses sound waves to visualize the kidney and bladder. While it is excellent for detecting hydronephrosis (kidney swelling caused by obstruction) and larger renal stones, it has limitations. It often fails to visualize stones in the mid-ureter due to bowel gas interference and provides limited data on stone composition.
  • Plain Abdominal Radiograph KUB X-ray. An X-ray is often obtained alongside other tests. It helps distinguish between radiopaque calcium-based and radiolucent uric acid stones. This is particularly important for follow-up protocols: if a stone is visible on a simple X-ray, the patient can be monitored with post-surgery X-rays rather than repeated CT scans, reducing cumulative radiation exposure.

Laboratory and Biochemical Assessment

It’s just as important to understand the body’s condition as it is to see the stone.

  • Urinalysis and Urine Culture: Making sure the urine is free of infection is the most important safety step before laser lithotripsy. Urinalysis checks for signs of infection or blood, and a urine culture looks for bacteria. If there is an infection, the procedure is delayed until it is treated with antibiotics, because doing surgery with an infection can cause serious complications.
  • Renal Function Testing: Serum creatinine and estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate (eGFR) are measured to assess kidney function. Acute obstruction by a stone can cause a temporary decline in renal function known as acute kidney injury. Knowing the baseline function is essential for perioperative fluid management and for counseling the patient on the potential for recovery of kidney function after the blockage is removed.
  • Coagulation Profile. Although laser lithotripsy is a relatively safe procedure for patients with coagulopathies compared to percutaneous surgery, a standard coagulation profile is obtained to ensure there are no unmanaged bleeding risks, particularly if a ureteral access sheath is planned.

Metabolic Evaluation

For patients who get stones often or have high risk, doctors also do metabolic tests to help prevent new stones.

  • Serum Analysis: Blood tests for calcium, phosphorus, uric acid, and parathyroid hormone help screen for systemic conditions, such as hyperparathyroidism, that drive stone formation.
  • 24 Hour Urine Collection. This specialized test involves collecting all urine produced in 24 hours. It is analyzed for volume, pH, calcium, oxalate, uric acid, citrate, sodium, and magnesium. This provides a metabolic fingerprint of the patient’s stone risk, guiding long-term prevention strategies after the laser surgery is complete.

Pre Anesthesia Assessment

Laser Lithotripsy

Since Laser Lithotripsy is performed under general anesthesia, a standard pre-operative assessment including an electrocardiogram ECG and a review of cardiac and respiratory health is conducted to ensure the patient can safely tolerate the anesthesia and the lithotomy position required for the surgery.

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Why is a CT scan preferred over an ultrasound for diagnosing stones?

A CT scan provides a high-resolution, three-dimensional view of the entire urinary tract. Unlike ultrasound, which uses sound waves that are blocked by bone and bowel gas, a CT scan uses X-rays to see through these structures. It can detect tiny ureteral stones that ultrasound misses and provides specific details about the stone’s hardness and anatomy.

The Hounsfield Unit HU is a measure of density on a CT scan. For kidney stones, it indicates how hard the stone is. A low HU suggests a soft stone, such as uric acid, that will break easily and quickly into dust. A high HU indicates a very dense stone, such as calcium oxalate monohydrate, that will require higher laser energy and more time to fragment.

No, it is generally unsafe to perform elective laser lithotripsy in the presence of an active urinary tract infection. Breaking a stone releases bacteria trapped inside it, and the pressure during surgery can push them into the bloodstream, causing sepsis. The disease must be treated with antibiotics first, or the kidney drained with a stent, before the laser procedure.

A 24-hour urine collection provides a complete picture of your body chemistry. A single spot urine sample changes based on what you just ate or drank. A 24-hour collection averages out these fluctuations, revealing if you are consistently excreting too much calcium, not enough citrate, or if your urine is too concentrated, allowing for precise dietary and medical prevention.

Modern CT protocols for kidney stones use low-dose radiation techniques. The radiation dose is significantly lower than that of standard abdominal scans, while still providing clear images of the high-contrast stones. The risk from this low level of radiation is minimal compared to the risk of leaving an obstructive stone undiagnosed and untreated.

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