The following is a summary of “Kidney stone growth through the lens of Raman mapping,” published in the May 2024 issue of Nephrology by Robinson et al.
Understanding the composition of kidney stones is crucial for determining the best treatment approach. While bulk analysis reveals general causes of stone formation, studying the microstructure is key to advancing treatments like in vivo stone dissolution over surgery.
Researchers conducted a prospective study demonstrating the utility of Raman microscopy in
in analyzing kidney stone microstructure at tiny scales (≤ 1 µm) for various stones, including calcium oxalate, calcium phosphate, uric acid, and struvite.
They used Raman microscopy to study kidney stone microstructures and chemical maps at scales ≤ 1 µm. Analysis of microstructures is discussed concerning stone growth and dissolution, with emphasis placed on <5µm stones composed of calcium oxalate, calcium phosphate, uric acid, and struvite, which are challenging to identify using other methods like micro-computed tomography.
The results showed that Raman microscopy revealed detailed microstructures within kidney stones. Thin concentric rings of calcium oxalate monohydrate were found in uric acid stones, and increased calcium oxalate crystal frequency was seen in certain regions of brushite stones.
Investigators concluded that these findings about kidney stone microstructures, like thin rings in uric acid stones and crystal patterns in brushite stones, inform how we dissolve stones by adjusting urine pH and more effectively addressing recurring brushite stones.
Source: nature.com/articles/s41598-024-61652-9
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