Sanjay Gupta Sanjay Gupta Asked 5 months ago

Can ultrasound find kidney stones?

My father has been experiencing excruciating pain in his lower back and side, and the doctor thinks it might be kidney stones. He's going for an ultrasound next week. Can an ultrasound reliably find kidney stones?

6

6 answers

Deepak Raj Deepak Raj Joined Mar 2026 5 months ago
Most liked

Yes, an ultrasound is very effective at finding kidney stones. Hope you get relief from the pain soon.

Rajiv Nambiar Rajiv Nambiar Joined Mar 2026 5 months ago

In my case, the ultrasound missed a tiny stone that was stuck in my ureter, which later caused a severe infection. While ultrasound is a great first test, please make sure to follow up with a doctor if your pain doesn't go away even after a normal scan.

Meenakshi Iyer Meenakshi Iyer Joined Jan 2026 5 months ago

From what I know about scans due to my own PCOS issues, ultrasound is usually the first thing doctors recommend for abdominal pain. It can spot kidney stones quite well, though sometimes very small ones might be tricky to see. It is best to let a specialist evaluate the report.

Powered by

Consult a urologist

Sanjay Yadav Sanjay Yadav Joined Jan 2026 5 months ago

Listen, if you have severe back or side pain, just go and get the ultrasound done. It clearly shows kidney stones and will save you from useless guesswork. No point sitting at home and suffering, meet a doctor today.

Sameer Deshmukh Sameer Deshmukh Joined May 2026 5 months ago

An ultrasound is indeed the standard initial screening tool for suspected kidney stones. It is non-invasive and highly safe, though a non-contrast CT scan is sometimes needed if the stones are extremely small or located in the ureter. Please consult a urologist for the right path forward.

Related reads

All articles
Ritu Kapoor Ritu Kapoor Joined Mar 2026 5 months ago

I spent days worrying about my lower back pain thinking it was some major kidney damage, but the ultrasound showed a small stone and calmed my anxiety. The scan is completely painless and quick. Get it done so you can stop stressing like I did!

Evidence-based health, reviewed by clinicians. Free, weekly.