Gender differences in Hounsfield unit values of carbonate urinary stones; a prospective cross-sectional analysis

Abstract

Introduction: This study emphasizes the importance of investigation of gender-based variations in CT Hounsfield unit (HU) measurements of urinary stones composition which informs clinical management. Objectives: To highlight gender disparities in stone types and composition specifically carbonate content in each stone type based on their CT Hounsfield unit. Patients and Methods: This cross-sectional study prospectively recruited 107 patients with renal stones at AL-Yarmok Teaching Hospital in Baghdad, Iraq (January 2023–June 2024) to investigate gender-specific differences in stone radiodensity (measured in HUs by non-contrast CT scans). Demographic and clinical data were collected through interviews and medical records. The non-contrast computed tomography (CT) scan was performed to evaluate renal stone density quantified in HUs. The HU values were compared between male and female patients. Results: The results demonstrated that 107 participants (36 females and 71 males) with a mean age of 47.47 ± 15.42 years were evaluated. The demographic and clinical data, such as age, mean body mass index (BMI), and stone size, failed to show significant correlations with HU measurements. In both unadjusted and adjusted linear regression analyses, male gender demonstrated a statistically significant positive association with HU measurements compared to the female gender (Unadjusted unstandardized regression coefficient [B] = 480.35 and adjusted B = 539.70). Conclusion: Male gender represents as a potentially important determinant in the radiological characteristics of carbonate urinary calculi when compared with female.

Keywords

Subject