The Role of Radiological Imaging in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Urolithiasis: A Narrative Review

The incidence and prevalence of urolithiasis have been increasing worldwide for the last several decades. This increase could be attributed to many factors, including missed cases of small stones, a sedentary lifestyle, a high BMI, a lack of physical activity, and poor dietary intake. In addition, the increased incidence of co-morbidities such as diabetes, dyslipidemia, infections, and multiple urinary tract surgeries could contribute significantly to the formation of urolithiasis. Radiology has a major role in diagnosing a variety of these stone types and can be used in planning management approaches, either as guidance or as a direct therapeutic method for stones. Because of the availability, safety, cost, and effectiveness of radiological imaging nowadays, urolithiasis is rarely missed; furthermore, the availability of radiological treatment options decreases the need for surgical intervention for urolithiasis, which minimizes hospital stay and surgical-related complications. This review aims to scope and analyze the role of radiological imaging modalities in reaching a diagnosis and planning treatment options for urolithiasis in different circumstances. Information was gathered from relevant peer-reviewed publications in PubMed and thereafter refined and summarized to provide a comprehensive review. The selected indexing terms included "radiological imaging modality," "treatment of urolithiasis," and "diagnosis of urolithiasis," among others.