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utility of Renal colic ct in acute flank pain. Renee Rutledge, MS4 Diagnostic Radiology Elective. The New Gold Standard for Detecting Ureteral Calculi….
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utility of Renal colic ct in acute flank pain Renee Rutledge, MS4 Diagnostic Radiology Elective
The New Gold Standard for Detecting Ureteral Calculi… • Renal colic CT first proposed for work-up of flank pain in 1995 (Smith et al), vs intravenous urography which was the gold standard at that time • Since then has been shown to have sensitivity of 97%,specificity of 96%, and accuracy of 97%. • Detects presence, size and location of stones and +/- obstruction • ‘00 Case Western ED study found CT significantly increased emergency department cliniciandiagnostic confidence
Disadvantages • Radiation Dose: Estimated effective dose 8.5mSv • Cost: $1100 at OHSU • Most important, estimated relative rate of recurrence is 35.3% over 10 years...do we expose them to cost/radiation each time they have acute onset flank pain?
Radiation Dose • U Penn study calculated estimated effective doses for patients from renal colic CTs performed over a 6 year period • 5564 studies, 144 studies on pediatric pts (age 2-17 years) • Mean effective dose of 8.5 mSv (vs 0.7 mSv for KUB) • 176 pts had 3 ormore exams, 19 pts had ≥6 & 1 pt had 18! • Estimated cumulative effective doses from19.5 to 153.7 mSv. • All patients with multiple examinations hada known history of nephrolithiasis. • Estimated risk of cancer induction from a 10 mSv ionizing radiation dose is 1 in 1000 (1 in 2000 fatal) • Cancer induction rate for 100mSv is 1/100!
Other diagnostic imaging options • Italian study compared renal colic CT vs KUB + US with the following conclusions: Renal colic CTKUB + US -Sens 92.4% -Sens 77.1% -Spec 96.4% -Spec 92.7% -PPV 98% -PPV 95.3% -NPV 86.9% -NPV 68% • Overall accuracy of CT was better (94 vs 83%) but... • No clinically important misdiagnoses • All missed stoned passed spontaneously
Clinical Predictors • Elton et al conducted a study of 203 pts with proven ureteral calculi • The following four-finding prediction rule correctly classified 90% of patients presenting to the ED • Acute onset • Flank pain • Hematuria • Positive KUB radiograph
Evidence Based Physical Diagnosis by Stephen McGee • Physical findings in ureterolithiasis • Study of 1333 pts with acute abdominal pain • Microscopic hematuria had a sensitivity of 75%, specificity of 99%, positive Likelihood Ratio of 73.1 & negative LR of 0.3 • Loin tenderness had a sensitivity of only 15% but specificity of 99%, +LR 27.7, -LR 0.9 • Renal tenderness had a sensitivity of 86%, specificity 76%, +LR 3.6, -LR 0.2
Is a +LR of 73 significant? • LR of 1 indicates no change in pre & post-test probability, the higher the positive LR & lower the negative LR the greater the “diagnostic weight”
Does the exact size/location of stone change treatment? • Up to 98% of stones ≤5mm pass spontaneously with supportive care such as hydration & pain control • Urgent urologic consultation warranted in pts with urosepsis, acute renal failure, anuria or intractable pain/nausea/vomiting…all noted w/o CT • Urologic intervention is indicated in pts with a stone ≥10 mm in diameter (visible on KUB) and in patients who fail to pass the stone after a trial of conservative management. • Alternative diagnoses detected with renal colic CT like ovarian pathology, pylonephritis, appendicitis and diverticulitis hopefully have other clinical/laboratory findings to point us in that direction.
Your call, but my humble suggestion is… • In a young patient with a high pretest probability (acute, unilateral flank pain with hematuria)…consider omitting the CT & avoiding the radiation. • In older patients with fever, leukocytosis, normal UA or other confounding factors, scan away!
Sources • Smith, RC, AT Rosenfield, KA Choe, KR Essenmacher, M Verga, MG Glickman & RC Lange. "Acute flank pain: comparison of non-contrast-enhanced CT and intravenous urography.." Radiology 194(1995): 789-94. • Abramson, Simeon, N Walders, KE Applegate, RC Gilkeson & MR Robbin. "Impact in the Emergency Department of Unenhanced CT on Diagnostic Confidence and Therapeutic Efficacy in Patients with Suspected Renal Colic ." American Journal of Roentgenology 175(2000): 1689-95. • Katz, SI, S Saluja, JA Brink & HP Forman. "Radiation Dose Associated with Unenhanced CT for Suspected Renal Colic: Impact of Repetitive Studies ." American Journal of Roentgenology 186(2006): 1120-24. • Catalano, Orlando, A Nunziata, F Altei & A Siani. "Suspected ureteral colic: primary helical CT versus selective helical CT after unenhanced radiography and sonography.." American Journal of Roentgenology 178(2002): 379-387. • Elton, TJ, CS Roth, TH Berquist & MD Silverstein. "A clinical prediction rule for the diagnosis of ureteral calculi in emergency departments. ." Journal of General Internal Medicine 8(1993): 57-62. • McGee, Stephen. Evidence Based Physical Diagnosis. 2nd. St Louis: Elsevier, 2007. • Segura, JW, GM Preminger, DG Assimos, SP Dretler, RI Kahn, JE Lingeman & JN Macaluso Jr. "Ureteral Stones Clinical Guidelines Panel summary report on the management of ureteral calculi. The American Urological Association.." The Journal of Urology 158(1997): 1915-21.