Jackstone Calculus: A Rare Subtype of Urinary Stone with a Sea-Urchin Appearance

May a comprehensive mineralogical study of a jackstone calculus and some other human bladder stones unveil health and environmental implications?

“…It is almost always composed of calcium oxalate dehydrate, characterized by a dense central core and radiating spicules [36]. As far as investigation of Italian bladder stones are concerned, rare case studies have been reported so far [37], thus leaving some questions related to mineralogical aspects still debated.…”

“…Sample KS012B shows a spiculated appearance that allow us to classify this stone among the socalled Jackstone calculi [34,36,37,[79][80][81][82]. This kind of urinary stone is freely movable in the bladder and is usually composed, according to literature [34,37,82], by calcium oxalate dehydrate.…”