Kidney stones are a very frequent finding in southern Italy, but stone analysis is not routinely performed. However, it is an important requirement not only for a successful treatment of this disease, but also for the prophylaxis to prevent any recurrence. We therefore set out to analyze 80
kidney stones collected from Basilicata Region (Southern, Italy). X-ray
powder diffraction as well as optical and scanning electron microscopy and petrographic thin section analysis have been applied in order to determine the mineralogical and morphological compositions. The internal structure and the relation between major and minor components have facilitated the classification of the
kidney stones according to a detailed scheme. As it is known from other country,
calcium oxalate stones were the most frequent (59%) [39% mainly composed of
whewellite, CaC₂O₄*H₂O and 29% is mainly made of
weddellite, CaC₂O₄*2H₂O].
Uric acid stones were abundant too (18%).
Calcium phosphate and
cystine stone were less. The results of the observations of
kidney stones in thin petrographic sections led to the identification of more cores in the same
whewellite kidney stones. In some
kidney stones the core is not situated in the central zone, which represents the point of attachment on kidney wall. Basilicata
kidney stone prevalence is different from the average prevalence determined in other Mediterranean areas. The comparison showed that
calcium oxalate stones seem to be more frequent, and there is a high prevalence of
uric acid kidney stones and a lower prevalence of
phosphate kidney stones, especially
hydroxyapatite. The relative increase frequency of
uric acid stones in the northern part of the Region may be due to high-
purine diets and softness water consumption.