Skip to main content

Kidney Stone Analysis

Test Overview

Kidney stone analysis is a test done on a kidney stone, Opens dialog to see what chemicals are in it. The test is done on a kidney stone that has been passed in the urine or removed from the urinary tract, Opens dialog during surgery. Chemical analysis of a kidney stone shows the type of stone which can guide treatment and give information that may prevent more stones from forming. People who have had a kidney stone have a chance of having another one, so prevention measures are important.

A kidney stone (renal calculus) forms in the kidney from substances that would normally pass out of the body in the urine. When there are large amounts of these substances, they separate from the urine and form kidney stones.

A kidney stone can be as small as a grain of sand or as large as a golf ball. Sometimes a stone may leave the kidney, Opens dialog and move down a ureter, Opens dialog into the bladder, Opens dialog. From the bladder, the stone passes through the urethra, Opens dialog and out of the body in urine. Passing a kidney stone through a ureter or the urethra may be painless or it may cause severe pain. A kidney stone may cause other symptoms, such as blood in the urine (hematuria), pain when urinating, or a severe need to urinate.

Next Section:

Why It Is Done

Current as of: April 30, 2024

Author: Ignite Healthwise, LLC Staff

Clinical Review Board
All Ignite Healthwise, LLC education is reviewed by a team that includes physicians, nurses, advanced practitioners, registered dieticians, and other healthcare professionals.

 

PeaceHealth endeavors to provide comprehensive health care information, however some topics in this database describe services and procedures not offered by our providers or within our facilities because they do not comply with, nor are they condoned by, the ethics policies of our organization.