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The accuracy of urinary ultrasound in the diagnosis of urinary stone disease in patients with acute flank pain: is it influenced by the time of ultrasound performance during the day or week?

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Summary

Background

The aim of this article is to investigate the possible impact of timing of ultrasound (US) during the day or week on its diagnostic accuracy.

Methods

We analyzed the records of 500 patients who underwent an initial urinary US, followed by a noncontrast computed tomography (NCCT) for the assessment of urinary stone disease. The sensitivity, specificity, negative and positive predictive values, negative and positive likelihood ratio, and overall diagnostic accuracy rates of US and were analyzed at different times of the day or week.

Results

The specificity and diagnostic accuracy of urinary US showed a decline toward the middle of the week followed by a steady rise by the end of the week, higher sensitivity for urinary US was noticed around mid-week. On the other hand, when urinary US results are subgrouped according to the time of the day they are performed, the specificity remained generally stable but the sensitivity and diagnostic accuracy showed lowest levels between 11:00 a.m. and 02:00 p.m. and between 04:00 p.m. and 05:00 p.m. Although some observational differences between sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic accuracy of urinary US performed at different times of the day or week are seen, these differences were not statistically significant.

Conclusions

Our study showed no significant influence of US timing on its diagnostic accuracy. A larger randomized prospective series is necessary to evaluate the impact of different factors on “precision” and “accuracy” in US reporting and, hence, the diagnostic accuracy of urinary US in identifying urinary stone disease.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Terzioglu Yerleskesi, Barbaros Mh, 17100, Canakkale, Turkey

    Mustafa Resorlu MD, Fatma Uysal MD, Gurhan Adam MD & Nilufer Aylanc MD

  2. Department of Urology, Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, Wrexham Maelor Hospital, Wrexham, UK

    Mohamed Ismat Abdulmajed MD

  3. Department of Radiology, Canakkale State Hospital, Canakkale, Turkey

    Eylem Burcu Resorlu MD

  4. Department of Biostatistics, Faculty of Medicine, Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey

    Can Ates MD

  5. Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Canakkale, Turkey

    Sibel Cevizci MD

  6. Department of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Canakkale, Turkey

    Alpaslan Akbas MD, Eyup Burak Sancak MD & Murat Tolga Gulpinar MD

Authors
  1. Mustafa Resorlu MD
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  2. Mohamed Ismat Abdulmajed MD
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  3. Eylem Burcu Resorlu MD
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  4. Can Ates MD
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  5. Fatma Uysal MD
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  6. Gurhan Adam MD
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  7. Nilufer Aylanc MD
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  8. Sibel Cevizci MD
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  9. Alpaslan Akbas MD
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  10. Eyup Burak Sancak MD
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  11. Murat Tolga Gulpinar MD
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mustafa Resorlu MD.

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Resorlu, M., Abdulmajed, M., Resorlu, E. et al. The accuracy of urinary ultrasound in the diagnosis of urinary stone disease in patients with acute flank pain: is it influenced by the time of ultrasound performance during the day or week?. Wien Klin Wochenschr 127, 445–450 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00508-015-0728-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00508-015-0728-4

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