title: Drug-seeking behavior in urolithiasis in the noncontrast computed tomography era: 2 cases.
abstract: Symptomatic urolithiasis is usually treated with narcotic pain management. This leads to the potential for use of its symptoms for personal gain. Historically, the typical presentation of a narcotic-seeking "stone patient" was a history of radiolucent stones and an intravenous contrast allergy. With the increased use of non-contrast-enhanced computed tomography to evaluate patients suspected of having acute urolithiasis, we have seen a change in the strategy of narcotic-seeking patients. We report 2 patients with pelvic calcifications on non-contrast-enhanced computed tomography feigning symptoms of urolithiasis to receive narcotic drugs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Naval Medical Center, San Diego, CA, USA.
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Gray
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Kane
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005162:Factitious Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009293:Opioid-Related Disorders; D010146:Pain / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014545:Urinary Calculi / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid