Contrast-free helical computerized tomography compared with ultrasonography and simple abdominal radiography in the study of patients with acute lumbar pain

• Published in: Actas urologicas españolas Vol. 25; no. 9; p. 656
• Main Authors: Llopis Cartagena, M, Rams García, A, Fuster Escrivá, A, Díaz Concepción, J, Solaz Mínguez, J, Martín Fernández, H, Gómez Salinas, L
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Spanish
• Published: Spain 01-10-2001
• Subjects: Abdomen; Acute Disease; Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Female; Humans; Low Back Pain - diagnostic imaging; Low Back Pain - etiology; Male; Middle Aged; Prospective Studies; Tomography, X-Ray Computed - methods; Ultrasonography
• ISSN: 0210-4806

Evaluation the diagnostic ability of unenhanced helical computed tomography in the evaluation of patients with acute flank pain.
Prospectively evaluation of 82 patients referred for acute flank pain between january 1999 and june 2000. 78 patients were imaged with, 73 abdominal ultrasound and 46 with TCHNC.
Plain radiography shows 49.1% of diagnosed lithiasis. Ultrasound was 48% sensitive and 96% specific. TCHNC was 100% sensitive and 84% specific in the diagnosis of lithiasis, allowing in 11 patients a diagnosis unrelated to stone disease.
TCHNC is a valuable radiologic technique for patients presenting with acute flank pain and consider the TCHNC as initial evaluation technique in patients with acute flank pain, allowing not only the localization of the stone as well as the diagnosis of extraurinary pathologies.