Aim: To ensure diagnostic yields were adequate in patients with suspected ureteric calculi with and without haematuria, and to assess whether there was a significant difference between these two groups in men and women.
Materials and methods: A retrospective analysis was undertaken of 513 patient records who attended the Emergency Department with suspected ureteric colic over 8 months.
Results: 513 patient records were evaluated. The overall positive rate for calculi was 45.4%, with an alternative diagnosis in 14.4%. Of the patients scanned with haematuria 49.36% were positive. The positive scan rate in males was significantly higher than in females (56% v. 31%, p < 0.0001). 32.79% of patients scanned without haematuria had a proven calculus. The positive rate in males without haematuria was 40.39% versus 27.14% in females.
Conclusion: The overall diagnostic yield of 45.4% is acceptable according to national guidelines. A large number of patients scanned without haematuria were found to have a calculus. This review suggests that in males a negative urine dipstick should not preclude CT investigation for renal colic in the presence of a "classical" history. However, the number of female patients with negative scans suggests that further randomized studies are needed to identify the ideal investigation pathway in women.
Copyright © 2014 The Royal College of Radiologists. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.