Value of transrectal ultrasound in diagnosing middle ureteral calculi

Objective To explore the value of transrectal ultrasound(TRS)in diagnosing middle ureteral calculi.Methods Patients who were suspected as middle urinary calculi by clinicians underwent transabdominal ultrasound(TAS)and transrectal ultrasound in the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University and Guangzhou Hospital of Integrated Traditional and West Medicine from 2011 to 2012.The diagnosis were finally confirmed by a variety of methods.Results Forty patients were eventually diagnosed as middle ureteral calculi by X-ray,computer tomography(CT),surgery,intravenous pyelography(IVP)imaging and magnetic resonance imaging(MRI).The other 5 cases were diagnosed as ureteral tumor,ureteral cystis(confirmed by MRI)and oppressed ureteral by gynecology cystis(confirmed by surgery).TRS detected 37 of 40 middle ureteral calculi(92.5%).TAS detected 8 of 40 middle ureteral calculi(20.0%).The detection ratio of TRS was higher than that of TAS and the difference was statistically significant(P=0.00).TAS could display ureter across iliac blood vessels expansion in all 40 patients.Conclusions Using TRS in diagnosing middle ureteric calculi is quick,convenient with high sensitivity and worthy of wide application.TAS can display ureter across iliac blood vessels expansion and can help to diagnosis of middle ureteral calculi.