Unlike radiography, all types of calculi are visible on ultrasound and it provides a rapid and non-invasive method of diagnosis. The aim of this article is to demonstrate the characteristics of this condition which allows differentiation from other conditions of the urinary bladder. Contents Characteristics of urinary calculi. Differentiation from other structures. 1.Characteristics of urinary calculi.
Most species produce urine which appears anechoic or black on ultrasound examination.
The entire ultrasound beam passes through the clear fluid and no echoes are returned to the transducer. This image demonstrates the normal appearance of a canine bladder. The bladder wall is thin and smooth. Urinary calculi of all types are very reflective to the ultrasound beam. The entire beam is returned from their surface to the trandsucer producing a strong returning echo and this appears on the screen as a bright white or hyperechoic image representing the surface of the calculus closest to the transducer.