{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,11]],"date-time":"2025-09-11T16:55:26Z","timestamp":1757609726647,"version":"3.44.0"},"reference-count":17,"publisher":"Springer Science and Business Media LLC","issue":"1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,2]],"date-time":"2025-09-02T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1756771200000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0"},{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,2]],"date-time":"2025-09-02T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1756771200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["link.springer.com"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["BMC Urol"],"abstract":"<jats:title>Abstract<\/jats:title>\n          <jats:sec>\n            <jats:title>Background<\/jats:title>\n            <jats:p>Decreasing radiation exposure in renal colic management involves revisiting diagnostic, intraoperative, and postoperative practices. One approach is a shift in procedural standards from intraoperative fluoroscopy to ultrasonography. Despite the increased implementation of ultrasound in urology, the ultrasound visibility or echogenicity of various stents is not well-studied. Silicone stents, traditionally considered less radiopaque, pose challenges during placement under fluoroscopy due to their reduced visibility. However, a shift to ultrasound-based guidance can levels the playing field, as silicone stents demonstrate comparable echogenicity to stents made from other materials. This study aims to evaluate and quantify the echogenicity of different ureteral stents on the market, with a focus on silicone stents, which traditionally have been considered less radiopaque yet potentially advantageous for less patient discomfort.<\/jats:p>\n          <\/jats:sec>\n          <jats:sec>\n            <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n            <jats:p>We conducted a simulation study using five different brands of ureteral stents in an ex-vivo porcine bladder model. We measured the mean grey intensity to quantify echogenicity of each stent. After comparing the echogenicity of individual stents, we grouped stents based on materials and diameters and performed T-tests.<\/jats:p>\n          <\/jats:sec>\n          <jats:sec>\n            <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n            <jats:p>We established that ureteral stents can demonstrate good visibility inside porcine bladder under ultrasound. Upon further investigation, we found that diameter is the most important variable in determining the measured echogenicity of ureteral stents. 8 Fr ureteral stents have higher measured echogenicity than the Sensor wire and 6 Fr stents. Stent materials also play a role in the measured echogenicity of ureteral stents. With the same diameter, silicone is measurably more echogenic than polyurethane.<\/jats:p>\n          <\/jats:sec>\n          <jats:sec>\n            <jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title>\n            <jats:p>This study describes a novel quantitative assessment of ureteral stent echogenicity, which can guide the development of novel echogenic stents and provide a benchmark for existing stents. In addition, it suggests that ultrasonography may facilitate the placement of silicone stents, which historically have been more difficult to visualize with fluoroscopy.<\/jats:p>\n          <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1186\/s12894-025-01931-3","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,2]],"date-time":"2025-09-02T07:25:29Z","timestamp":1756797929000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/springer_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["A novel protocol for the characterization of ureteral stent echogenicity"],"prefix":"10.1186","volume":"25","author":[{"given":"Clifford Jiajun","family":"He","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Tyler","family":"Sheetz","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Jonathan","family":"Katz","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Vivek","family":"Pendem","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Kevin","family":"Ho","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Nicholas","family":"Trujillo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Sujit","family":"Tunuguntla","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Robert","family":"Sah","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Seth K.","family":"Bechis","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Roger L.","family":"Sur","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Manoj","family":"Monga","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"297","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,2]]},"reference":[{"issue":"6","key":"1931_CR1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"678","DOI":"10.1016\/s0022-5347(17)57326-7","volume":"120","author":"RP Finney","year":"1978","unstructured":"Finney RP. Experience with new double J ureteral catheter stent. J Urol. 1978;120(6):678\u201381. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/s0022-5347(17)57326-7.","journal-title":"J Urol"},{"issue":"1","key":"1931_CR2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"17","DOI":"10.1038\/nrurol.2014.340","volume":"12","author":"D Lange","year":"2014","unstructured":"Lange D, Bidnur S, Hoag N, Chew BH. Ureteral stent-associated complications\u2014where we are and where we are going. Nat Rev Urol. 2014;12(1):17\u201325. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1038\/nrurol.2014.340.","journal-title":"Nat Rev Urol"},{"issue":"6","key":"1931_CR3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1710","DOI":"10.1097\/ju.0000000000001653","volume":"205","author":"SC Hiller","year":"2021","unstructured":"Hiller SC, Daignault-Newton S, Pimentel H, Ambani SN, Ludlow J, Hollingsworth JM, et al. Ureteral stent placement following ureteroscopy increases emergency department visits in a statewide surgical collaborative. 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The porcine bladder used in this study was obtained from the research laboratory of Dr. Robert Sah, a co-author on this study, at the University of California, San Diego. The specimen was ex-vivo and was used with Dr. Sah\u2019s full consent for the purposes of this study.","order":2,"name":"Ethics","group":{"name":"EthicsHeading","label":"Ethics approval and consent to\u00a0participate"}},{"value":"The authors declare no competing interests.","order":3,"name":"Ethics","group":{"name":"EthicsHeading","label":"Competing interests"}}],"article-number":"223"}}