A Different Color Doppler Ultrasonography (US) finding In Diagnosis Of Urinary Stones: Twinkling Artifact

The purpose of this study was to determine whether color and power Doppler twinkling artifacts could be considered as an additional diagnostic sonographic feature of urinary stones.

A prospective study was performed in 40 patients with 30 kidney stones and 10 ureter stones to investigate how often urinary stones show twinkling artifacts on Doppler sonography. We evaluated patients with abdominal radiography, intravenous pyelography, gray-scale images, color and spectral Doppler ultrasonography. The presence of urinary stones wasproved with further investigations (urinary computed tomography) or after treatment. During color Doppler ultrasonography twinkling artifacts from urinary stones are investigated.

According to investigations there were 30 stones in kidneys and 10 stones in ureters. Thirty two (%80) of 40 urinary stones showed twinkling artifact which appeared as a rapidly changing color complex seen persistently behind stones. Twenty five of 30 (%83) kidney stones and 7 of 10 (%70) ureter stones showed twinkling artifact.

Color Doppler twinkling artifacts from urinary stones occur frequently and may be considered as an additional sonographic feature of urinary stones. The observation of these artifacts may be helpful in determining the presence of urinary stones.