Demographic, Clinical and Radiological Findings among Patients with CTU Detected Urolithiasis in a Tertiary Hospital

Background: Computed tomography urography (CTU) is the current radiological imaging modality for the evaluation of the kidneys, ureters and urinary bladder pathologies. CTU has largely replaced intravenous urography in centers that has computed tomogram machines.

Objectives: The aim of this study is to identify the common location of urolithiasis in the urinary tract and correlate it with age, sex, stone size and Hounsfield unit (HU) using CT scan in the Radiology department of Rivers State University Teaching Hospital.

Methods: A retrospective study with descriptive study design was employed. A total of 140 patient’s data were used. A P-value below 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results: One-hundred and forty patients were studied over a 24 months period. The median age was 43.50 years. The prevalence of stones (n=47, 33.6%) and age range with the highest prevalence is 41-50 years. The male: female was 1.8:1. Renal stones are commonly found in the inferior pole. Vesicoureteric junction stones were more prevalent in females. There was significant association between age and sex. (P=0.005).

Conclusion: Urolithiasis is commonly seen in males. The location of calculi in the urinary tract is in the kidney, pelviureteric junction (PUJ), vesicoureteric junction (VUJ), ureters and the urinary bladder in a downhill order correspondingly. The inferior pole is the most prevalent site for renal stones and VUJ stones are more frequent in females while other locations are seen more in males. Interestingly, age and sex showed significant association.