Kidney Stone AnalysisTest Overview
Kidney stone analysis is a test done on
a kidney stone to determine its chemical makeup. The test is done on a kidney stone that has been passed in the urine or removed from the urinary tract during surgery. Chemical analysis of a kidney stone
can help identify the type of stone and can provide important clues about why it formed. Kidney stone analysis may also guide
treatment and provide information that may prevent stones from forming in
the future. Kidney stones (also called renal
calculi) form in the kidneys from substances that separate out of the urine. See an illustration of a
kidney stone. Kidney stones may
range from the size of a grain of sand to about
1 in. (2.5 cm) across.
Sometimes a stone may leave the kidney and move down a ureter into the bladder.
From the bladder, the stone passes through the urethra and out of the body in urine. See an illustration of the urinary tract. Passing a kidney
stone through a ureter or the urethra may be painless or may cause severe
pain.
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