[The role of physicochemistry in urology and nephrology, selected results obtained during the last ten years].
BACKGROUND
The presence of pathological calcifications, which can be either concretions or ectopic call for physicochemical characterisation techniques in order to define a significant diagnosis. The aim of this review is to present a set of characterisation techniques able to describe at the micrometer scale their structural and chemical characteristics and show their place at the hospital.


METHODS
Results already published in the last ten years based on characterisation techniques present in laboratories or specific to large-scale instruments are presented. Their usefulness for the clinician is discussed.


RESULTS
The presence and role of heavy metals in urinary stones through data collected through μX-ray fluorescence is debated. If these data suggest a simple substitution process of calcium, recent data suggest that weddellite is associated to a Zn-rich environment, partly favoured by an inflammation process. Investigation on the chemistry and the structure of unusual deposits in kidney biopsies show a great chemical diversity of ectopic calcifications. Such diversity shows that staining procedures to characterize such deposits are obsolete. Finally, several diseases which can be assessed through techniques specific to large-scale instruments and defined by the clinician are presented.


CONCLUSIONS
The chemical and structural complexity of pathological calcifications call for a characterization through physicochemical techniques. Only such approach allows the clinician to define a significant diagnosis and to care the patient.
Laboratoire de chimie de la matière condensée de Paris (LCMCP), collège de France, Sorbonne universités, UPMC université Paris 06, UMR CNRS 7574, 11, place Marcelin-Berthelot, 75005 Paris, France; Laboratoire de physique des solides, université Paris XI, 91405 Orsay cedex, France. Electronic address: Dominique.bazin@upmc.fr.
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D
Bazin
Service d'explorations fonctionnelles, hôpital Tenon, AP-HP, 4, rue de la Chine, 75970 Paris cedex 20, France; Inserm, UMRS 1155, UPMC, hôpital Tenon, 75970 Paris, France.
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E
Letavernier
Service d'explorations fonctionnelles, hôpital Tenon, AP-HP, 4, rue de la Chine, 75970 Paris cedex 20, France; Inserm, UMRS 1155, UPMC, hôpital Tenon, 75970 Paris, France.
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JP
Haymann
Service d'urologie, hôpital St-Louis, 1, avenue C.-Vellefaux, 75010 Paris, France.
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Méria
Service d'explorations fonctionnelles, hôpital Tenon, AP-HP, 4, rue de la Chine, 75970 Paris cedex 20, France; Inserm, UMRS 1155, UPMC, hôpital Tenon, 75970 Paris, France.
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Daudon
D055598:Chemical Phenomena; D033183:Interdisciplinary Communication; D009398:Nephrology; D014572:Urology
Grands instruments; Large-scale instruments; Nephrology; Néphrologie; Physicochemistry; Physicochimie; Rayonnement synchrotron; Synchrotron radiation; Urologie; Urology