Structure and Compositional Analysis of Kidney Stones

Abstract

It is well established that human urine is supersaturated with respect to ions and molecules, which can crystallize as clinical crystalluria with a potential for stone development. Regardless of the specific site of crystallization within the nephron, crystals can either pass from the kidney into the bladder and be excreted or attach to cells in the late collecting duct and grow into mature kidney stones. The crystalline composition of a stone reflects the urine chemistry and abnormalities in tubular physiology during the process of stone development. Accurate knowledge of the composition of the stone is critical to elucidating the underlying etiology of the patient’s clinical disorder(s) that precipitated the stone disease.