Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
X-ray signs that show bladder stone types in cats calcium oxalate
By Pulido Vega, Diego et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary internal medicine·2026·Service of Diagnostic Imaging, France·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: In vivo radiographic characteristics associated with the mineral composition of calcium oxalate and struvite lower urinary tract uroliths in cats.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A group of 69 cats with urinary stones (uroliths) were studied to understand how different types of stones, specifically calcium oxalate and struvite, appear on X-rays. Struvite stones were typically larger, irregularly shaped, and less visible on X-rays compared to calcium oxalate stones, which were usually smaller and smoother. The study found that knowing these differences can help veterinarians choose the right treatment without needing surgery. This information is important for effectively managing urinary stones in cats and improving their health outcomes.
People also search for: cat urinary stones treatment · how to tell if my cat has bladder stones · struvite vs calcium oxalate stones in cats
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Radiography is widely used to diagnose lower urinary tract (LUT) urolithiasis in cats. Non-invasive identification of urolith mineral composition (UMC) is critical for therapy selection but remains challenging, as most data derive from dogs. HYPOTHESIS/OBJECTIVES: To describe in vivo radiographic features of feline calcium oxalate and struvite LUT uroliths and identify distinguishing characteristics. ANIMALS: Sixty-nine cats with LUT uroliths containing ≥70% of calcium oxalate (n = 45) or struvite (n = 24). METHODS: Retrospective cross-sectional study. Radiographs were evaluated for urolith size, shape, surface, internal architecture, subjective radiopacity, and quantitative radiopacity, assessed using a ratio of urolith-to-L5 vertebra pixel values (UOR). Diagnostic performance of urolith size and UOR was assessed with receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, calculating the area under the ROC curve (AUC). RESULTS: Struvite uroliths had lower quantitative radiopacity with a UOR cut-off ≤0.78 (AUC = 0.81, P < .001; sensitivity: 58%, specificity: 92%). They were larger, with a cut-off value of ≥7.3 mm (AUC = 0.75, P < .001; sensitivity: 38%, specificity: 98%), more frequently irregularly shaped, with rough surface and heterogeneous architecture. Urease-positive bacteriuria was present in 43% of struvite uroliths; infected struvite uroliths were significantly larger (median, 9.8 mm; interquartile range [IQR], 5.4-13 mm) than sterile ones (median, 4.6 mm; IQR, 2.6-5.4 mm; P = .02). Calcium oxalate uroliths were frequently smaller, more radiopaque, uniform, smooth, and associated with nephroliths. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: In vivo radiographic characteristics aid in differentiating struvite from calcium oxalate LUT uroliths, selecting non-invasive therapy, and reducing unnecessary surgeries.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41742498/