title: Is pre-operative imaging essential prior to ureteric stone surgery?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to identify patients not requiring ureteric stone surgery based on pre-operative imaging (within 24 hours) prior to embarking on semirigid ureteroscopy (R-URS) for urolithiasis.
  
  
  METHODS
  The imaging of all consecutive patients on whom R-URS for urolithiasis was performed over a 12-month period was reviewed. All patients had undergone a plain x-ray of the kidney, ureters and bladder (KUB), abdominal non-contrast computed tomography (NCCT-KUB) or both on the day of surgery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 96 patients were identified for the study. Stone sizes ranged from 3 mm to 20 mm. Thirteen patients (14%) were cancelled as no stone(s) were identified on pre-operative imaging. Of the patients cancelled, 8 (62%) required NCCT-KUB to confirm spontaneous stone passage.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  One in seven patients were stone free on the day of surgery. This negates the need for unnecessary anaesthetic and instrumentation of the urinary tract, with the associated morbidity. Up-to-date imaging prior to embarking on elective ureteric stone surgery is highly recommended.
authors.affiliation: Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, UK. fyoussef@gmail.com
authors.forename: F R
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Youssef
authors.forename: B A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Wilkinson
authors.forename: K J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Hastie
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hall
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D011300:Preoperative Care / Q000379:methods*; D036542:Tomography, Spiral Computed; D014514:Ureteral Calculi / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D018666:Ureteroscopy