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"Silent" Kidney Stones/Can stones be found by accident on an XRAY?

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jen78653
jen78653

I had to have an xray of my lumbar spine due to throwing out my back on Thanksgiving. In the report, which did find issues with my spine there was also a section that stated:

"A FEW CALCIFIED PHLEBOLITHS PROJECTED OVER THE PELVIS ARE

PRESENT. THERE IS A POSSIBLE 2 MM STONE PROJECTED OVER THE

EXPECTED LOCATION OF THE UPPER POLE OF THE RIGHT KIDNEY AND

POSSIBLE ADDITIONAL TINY STONES IN THE 2 MM RANGE PROJECTED

OVER THE EXPECTED LOCATION OF THE LOWER POLE OF THE LEFT

KIDNEY."

About a year ago I had a kidney MRI for another reason and no stones were found, but they did find

"KIDNEYS AND URINARY TRACT: THE KIDNEYS FUNCTION NORMALLY AND

DEMONSTRATE NO HYDRONEPHROSIS. SMALL T1 HYPERINTENSE LESION AT

THE LATERAL MARGIN OF THE EDGE OF THE UPPER POLE OF THE LEFT

KIDNEY THAT SHOWS LOSS OF SIGNAL ON THE OUT OF PHASE CHEMICAL

SHIFT SEQUENCE CONSISTENT WITH FAT.. ON THE CORONAL IMAGES,

THIS IS SEEN AT THE LATERAL MARGIN OF THE RENAL CORTEX AND

MEASURES ABOUT 6 X 6 MM. I SUSPECT THIS REPRESENTS A

JUNCTIONAL PARENCHYMAL CORTICAL DEFECT OF THE KIDNEY AS

OPPOSED TO A ANGIOMYOLIPOMA."

I did visit an urologist who said I had a genetic kidney defect.

My question is could the genetic defect be showing up on the xray as possible kidney stones? Can an xray determine kidney stones? Has anyone had silent kidney stones found by accident?

I would appreciate anyone's thoughts as I am still waiting to hear from my primary doctor for the test results.

Thanks

0 likes, 4 replies

4 Replies

  • moltoncore
    moltoncore jen78653

    Edited

    An X-Ray cannot see very much. I had a 5mm stone that was bothering me, pain, and yet I came away with a clean X-Ray. A CT scan is what is needed to see exactly what is happening. Stone has since been removed by uteroscopy.

  • sarah87162
    sarah87162 jen78653

    Posted

    I agree with moltoncore here.

    A CT scan is what is needed.

    Hope you manage to sort this out.

    Take care and keep in touch

    Sarah

  • jen78653
    jen78653

    Posted

    thank you both!

  • Zukerburger
    Zukerburger jen78653

    Edited

    Silent kidney stones are very common.

    5% of ultrasound scans performed for any reason reveal silent kidney stones.

    CT scan, which is more sensitive, occasionally reveals silent stones in 10% of patients.

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