Kidney Stones Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Kidney Stones, including details on causes, symptoms, treatment, diagnosis of nephrolithiasis, calculi.

Quartz renal calculi: were we being led up the garden path?

Sies CW, Cadwallader J, Florkowski CM, Woods SH, George PM

Clinical Biochemistry Unit, Canterbury Health Laboratories, Christchurch, New Zealand. chris.sies@cdhb.govt.nz

Quartz stones are often considered to be of non-human origin or factitious, although in some cases, they may have a biological aetiology. X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectroscopy was used to analyse fragmented renal stones from a 61-year-old lady who presented with bilateral nephrocalcinosis. Analysis of the calculi from the left kidney showed a mixed composition: 50% calcium oxalate monohydrate and 50% quartz. This case highlights the usefulness of XRD in the differentiation of authentic from possibly factitious renal calculi.

Published 25 April 2007 in Ann Clin Biochem, 44: 312-4.
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