Investigation of the Location of the Ureteral Stone and Diameter of the Ureter in Patients with Renal Colic

PURPOSE: The objective of this study were to evaluate the location of ureteral stones and the diameter of the ureter in patients with renal colic. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the records of 95 consecutive patients who presented to the emergency department with renal colic in whom urinary stones were diagnosed by computed tomography between January 2009 and August 2009. The size and location of the stones were investigated. The length and diameter of unaffected ureters were also measured. RESULTS: The mean size of the stones was 4.87±3.49 mm (range, 0.9-22 mm). Stones were located at ureterovesical junction (UVJ) in 44 cases (46.3%), proximal ureter in 29 (30.5%), distal ureter in 16 (16.8%), ureteropelvic junction (UPJ) in 5 (5.2%), and the ureter crossing external iliac vessel (UEIV) in 1 case (1%). The mean length of the ureter was 226.8±20.8 mm (range, 175-286 mm). The mean diameter of the ureter was 3.40±0.61 mm (range, 1.9-5.3 mm). The mean diameter of the UEIV was 3.28±0.59 mm (range, 2.2-5.3 mm). CONCLUSIONS: The UPJ and UEIV were not common sites of ureteral stones. The smaller the stones, the closer to the UVJ that the stones were located. Spontaneous passage of the stones was most frequently observed for stones in the UVJ. The UEIV was not significantly narrower than the other parts of the ureter.