Proof of principle in vitro study of a prototype ultrasound technology to size stone fragments during ureteroscopy.
OBJECTIVE
Proof-of-principle in vitro experiments evaluated a prototype ultrasound technology to size kidney stone fragments.


METHODS
Nineteen human stones were measured using manual calipers. A 10-MHz, 1/8'' (10F) ultrasound transducer probe pinged each stone on a kidney tissue phantom submerged in water using two methods. In Method 1, the instrument was aligned such that the ultrasound pulse traveled through the stone. In Method 2, the instrument was aligned partially over the stone such that the ultrasound pulse traveled through water.


RESULTS
For Method 1, the correlation between caliper- and ultrasound-determined stone size was r(2) = 0.71 (P < 0.0001). All but two stone measurements were accurate and precise to within 1 mm. For Method 2, the correlation was r(2) = 0.99 (P < 0.0001), and measurements were accurate and precise to within 0.25 mm.


CONCLUSIONS
The prototype technology and either method measured stone size with good accuracy and precision. This technology may be possible to incorporate into ureteroscopy.
Sorensen
Mathew D
MD
Department of Urology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195, USA. mathews@u.washington.edu
Teichman
Joel M H
JM
Bailey
Michael R
MR
D006801:Humans; D007669:Kidney Calculi / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D014465:Ultrasonics; D014463:Ultrasonography; D018666:Ureteroscopy / Q000379:methods*