X-ray diffraction and SEM study of kidney stones in Israel: quantitative analysis, crystallite size determination, and statistical characterization

Abstract

Urinary calculi have been recognized as one of the most painful medical disorders. Tenable knowledge of the phase composition of the stones is very important to elucidate an underlying etiology of the stone disease. We report here the results of quantitative X-ray diffraction phase analysis performed on 278 kidney stones from the 275 patients treated at the Department of Urology of Hadassah Hebrew University Hospital (Jerusalem, Israel). Quantification of biominerals in multicomponent samples was performed using the normalized reference intensity ratio method. According to the observed phase compositions, all the tested stones were classified into five chemical groups: oxalates (43.2%), phosphates (7.7%), urates (10.3%), cystines (2.9%), and stones composed of a mixture of different minerals (35.9%). A detailed analysis of each allocated chemical group is presented along with the crystallite size calculations for all the observed crystalline phases. The obtained results have been compared with the published data originated from different geographical regions. Morphology and spatial distribution of the phases identified in the kidney stones were studied with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). This type of detailed study of phase composition and structural characteristics of the kidney stones was performed in Israel for the first time.

Urinary Stone Composition in Israel: Current Status and Variation with Age and Sex—A Bicenter Study

“…This is a far lower rate than that reported by Atsmon and associates 6 and close to studies from geographical regions with similar climatic conditions. [14][15][16] The difference between the current study and the historic data may be because of a real change in the lifestyle of an immigrant society or perhaps to the difference in analytical methods used. UA prevalence in other geographical areas seems to vary significantly.…”

Microwave dielectric property based classification of renal calculi: Application of a kNN algorithm

“…Infrared radiation has also been investigated to determine renal calculi type, but the results of a study were inconclusive due to a similarity to the absorbance range of some stone types [8]. X-ray powder diffraction method is widely used because of the unique diffraction patterns of the different renal calculi types [9,10]. How- 25 ever, this method requires cumbersome sample preparation as well as a trained radiologist.…”

Laser‐induced breakdown spectroscopy‐Raman: An effective complementary approach to analyze renal‐calculi

“…However, none of the said methods is proven to be satisfactory. Many physical methods such as X‐ray diffraction (XRD), X‐ray excited fluorescence (XRF), infrared spectroscopy (IR), SEM, Raman, inductively coupled plasma‐mass spectrometry (ICP‐MS), laser‐induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) and polarization microscopy have been attempted for the identification of kidney stones . Among this, XRD and IR are widely used laboratory techniques for identifying the chemical composition of renal‐calculi.…”