title: Kidney stones and imaging: what can your radiologist do for you?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We discuss in this review, urologists' expectations of imaging in terms of detection, characterization, pre-planning treatment and follow-up of urinary stones.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data acquisition regarding kidney stones and imaging was performed using MEDLINE searches with combinations of the following keywords: urinary stones, CT Urography, low dose CT, MRI urography, renal stones ultrasound, conventional radiography, surgery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  CT has become the gold standard for the evaluation of urinary stones. Scanning provides information regarding stone (composition, size, burden, location), collecting system and renal parenchyma. Those findings are crucial in determining appropriate treatment strategies. Because CT exposes the patient to substantial ionizing radiation, efforts have already been made to decrease the CT radiation dose for CT examination (low dose CT) and optimize image quality. Efforts also are being made to use non ionizing modalities such as ultrasound in combination with radiography particularly for the follow up of renal stones.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CT is the preferred method for the evaluation and treatment planning of urolithiasis. CT radiation dose reduction can be achieved with low dose CT. However, conventional radiography and ultrasound are still recommended in the follow up of renal stones.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Pitié Salpétrière Hospital, Pierre et Marie Curie University, Paris, France, raphaele.renardpenna@psl.aphp.fr.
authors.forename: Raphaële
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Renard-Penna
authors.forename: Aurélie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Conort
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mozer
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Grenier
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D011859:Radiography; D014545:Urinary Calculi / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D052878:Urolithiasis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging