title: Relationship between Twinkle Artefacts and in vivo Biochemical Composition of Kidney Stones.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Our aim was to predict the chemical composition of kidney stones according to their twinkle artefact (TA) features obtained by in vivo color Doppler ultrasonography and to determine the potential factors affecting the formation and intensity of TAs.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 101 patients who met the inclusion criteria were included in the study. All patients were evaluated for TAs using color Doppler ultrasonography. All stones were subjected to chemical analysis. The relationships between the TA and the size and chemical composition of the stone, presence of hydronephrosis and body mass index (BMI) were evaluated statistically.
  
  
  RESULTS
  According to the results of the chemical analysis, 66 (65.3%) were calcium oxalate stones. It was found that the in vivo TA intensity did not predict cystine and calcium oxalate monohydrate stones (p > 0.05) and the intensity of TAs increases with increasing BMI (p = 0.002).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study is the first to show that TAs may not be reliable in overweight patients. The TAs could not predict the chemical composition of stones; so future comprehensive in vivo studies will clarify the role of TAs in the prediction of the stone type preoperatively.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Eskisehir State Hospital, Eskisehir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Coskun
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kaya
authors.forename: Barbaros
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Baseskioglu
authors.forename: Nevbahar
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Degirmenci
authors.forename: Aydın
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yenilmez
authors.forename: Canan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Baydemir
authors.forename: Turgut
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dönmez
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016477:Artifacts; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002129:Calcium Oxalate / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007669:Kidney Calculi / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color
chemical_list: D002129:Calcium Oxalate