NON-CONTRAST SPIRAL CT FOR PATIENTS WITH SUSPECTED RENAL COLIC

Renal colic, defined as acute flank pain caused by the passage of a ur eteral calculus, is a common condition, but the correct diagnosis may not be apparent clinically. For decades, intravenous urography has bee n the test of choice for evaluating patients with suspected renal coli c. Recently, unenhanced (non-contrast) helical CT has been shown to be an accurate and highly effective examination which can be used instea d of intravenous urography. In this article, the technique is reviewed in detail, including it advantages and potential pitfalls.