FREQUENCY OF URINARY TRACT CALCULI IN PATIENTS UNDERGOING CT ABDOMEN AT RADIOLOGY DEPARTMENT OF MARDAN MEDICAL COMPLEX (A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY)

Abstract

BACKGROUND

Urinary tract calculi are a common urological problem worldwide and are associated with significant morbidity and healthcare burden. Computed Tomography (CT) is considered the gold standard imaging modality for the detection of urinary tract stones due to its high sensitivity and specificity. This study was conducted to determine the frequency of urinary tract calculi among patients undergoing CT abdomen and to assess its association with selected demographic and clinical factors.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted among 194 patients undergoing CT scan for suspected urinary tract calculi. Data were collected regarding age, gender, history of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, water intake, and medication use through a structured questionnaire. CT scan findings were used to confirm the presence or absence of urinary tract calculi. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 25. Descriptive statistics were used to calculate frequencies, percentages, mean, and standard deviation. Fisher exact test was applied to determine the association between urinary tract calculi and selected variables, with p-value ≤0.05 considered statistically significant.

RESULTS

The mean age of participants was 40.22 ± 10.20 years, with ages ranging from 12 to 77 years. Among the total participants, 117 (60.3%) were males and 77 (39.7%) were females. Urinary tract calculi were detected in 169 (87.1%) patients on CT scan, while 25 (12.9%) had no calculi. The highest frequency of calculi was observed in the 41–60 years age group. Most participants reported adequate daily water intake (94.8%), while 7.7% had hypertension and 7.2% had diabetes mellitus. Chi-square analysis showed no statistically significant association between urinary tract calculi and diabetes mellitus (p=1.000), hypertension (p=0.698), daily water intake (p=1.000), or long-term medication use (p=0.225).

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrated a high frequency of urinary tract calculi among patients undergoing CT scan, with male predominance and highest occurrence in middle-aged individuals. Although diabetes mellitus, hypertension, water intake, and long-term medication use were evaluated, none showed a statistically significant association with stone formation. The findings suggest that urinary tract calculi is a multifactorial disease likely influenced by additional dietary, environmental, genetic, and metabolic factors. Further large-scale studies are recommended to explore these risk factors and support preventive strategies.