DIAGNOSTIC PERFORMANCE OF ULTRASONOGRAPHY IN THE DETECTION OF URETERAL STONES AT HAI PHONG MEDICAL UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL
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Abstract
Objective: To evaluate the diagnostic performance of ultrasonography in detecting ureteral stones at Hai Phong Medical University Hospital.
Materials and Methods: A descriptive case series study was conducted on 166 patients with ureteral stones confirmed by computed tomography, all of whom underwent both ultrasonography and CT at Hai Phong Medical University Hospital between January 2024 and March 2025. The diagnostic performance of ultrasonography was assessed in terms of sensitivity and specificity according to stone location, stone size, and indirect signs, using CT as the reference standard.
Results: Among 166 patients, 71.08% were male, with a mean age of 47.9 ± 14.47 years. Ultrasonography detected ureteral stones in 72.29% of cases. Diagnostic performance varied by stone location, with the highest sensitivity observed for stones in the upper ureter (sensitivity: 80.33%; specificity: 98.10%), followed by stones in the distal ureter (68.13%; 100%) and stones in the mid ureter (64.29%; 91.45%). According to stone size, the sensitivity of ultrasonography was 88.46% for stones >5 mm and 61.45% for stones measuring 3–5 mm; no stones smaller than 3 mm were detected by ultrasonography.
Ultrasonography showed high sensitivity in detecting hydronephrosis and ureteral dilatation (93.98%), whereas sensitivity for periureteral infiltration was low (9.80%) but specificity was high (97.39%). There was no statistically significant difference between stone size measured by ultrasonography and CT (p > 0.05), with a moderate correlation (r = 0.594; p < 0.05).
Conclusion: Ultrasonography demonstrates good diagnostic performance in the evaluation of ureteral stones, particularly for larger stones and those located in the upper ureter. It shows high sensitivity in detecting indirect signs of obstruction but is limited in identifying small stones and periureteral inflammatory changes. Ultrasonography can be used as an initial imaging modality to guide diagnosis and may reduce the need for CT in selected cases.
Keywords
ureteral stones, ultrasonography, diagnostic performance
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References
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