title: Acute flank pain secondary to urolithiasis: radiologic evaluation and alternate diagnoses.
abstract: This article discusses the radiologic management of the patient who has acute flank pain. It describes the evolution of radiologic imaging in patients who present with acute symptoms caused by suspected urolithiasis, the advantages of unenhanced helical CT and the limitations of abdominal radiography, intravenous urography, and ultrasonography in this setting, and the alternative diagnoses encountered within the urinary tract, abdomen, and pelvis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of Pennsylvania Medical Center, 3400 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
authors.forename: Gaurav
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Jindal
authors.forename: Parvati
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ramchandani
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D003085:Colic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D021501:Flank Pain / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D011860:Radiography, Abdominal / Q000379:methods; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D036542:Tomography, Spiral Computed / Q000379:methods; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014551:Urinary Tract / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D014567:Urography / Q000379:methods; D052878:Urolithiasis / Q000175:diagnosis*